The Second Life of Bree Tanner
by Simply Alexei
Summary: What if Bree Tanner had been spared that fateful day in the field? Why had she been spared in the first place? Takes place during the tail end of Eclipse and throughout Breaking Dawn. AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Saria: I love Bree, and I love Jasper. Normally I'd have him paired with Bella but I was inspired by the interaction between Jasper and Bree at the end of "The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner". This story takes place at the end of the Eclipse novel and hopefully a bit through Breaking Dawn. No guarantees though :]**

**I assume most people who read this have read Short Second Life of Bree Tanner and know who the hell Diego is and the backstory with Fred, cause Imma use that bit in the future ;] If not, read it, or you'll be thouroughly confused-ed. I "copy/pasted" this first chapter then altered as I saw fit for the sort of "preface" thing so it's definitely close to canon, but I'm not doing that for the rest of the story. I just need a starting point (ie. consider this the diving board for the pool of this story) The chapters after this will probably be much shorter, though I'll try not to let them shrink.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own or claim.**

My eyes raked the field. There were pieces of vampire everywhere, and a huge bonfire smoking purple into the sunny sky. I could see glittering bodies dart about and as the sounds of vampires being torn apart rang out.

I looked for one thing: Diego's curly black hair. No one I could see had hair so dark. There was one huge vampire with brown hair that was almost black, but he was too big, too muscular, and as I focused I watched him tear Kevin's head off and pitch it into the fire before leaping on someone else's back. Was that Jen? There was another with straight black hair that was too small to be Diego. That one was moving so fast I couldn't tell if it was a boy or a girl.

I scanned quickly again, feeling horribly exposed. Most of the vampires still standing were strangers. A blond one glanced at me, meeting my gaze, and his eyes flashed gold in the sunlight.

We were losing. Bad.

I started backing toward the trees, not moving fast enough. I turned and really ran for the forest. I made it a few feet when a force like a wrecking ball hit me from behind and threw me to the ground. An arm slipped under my chin, obviously preparing to snap my head off.

"Please!" I sobbed.

The arm hesitated. I didn't fight back. Even if I'd had a way to beat this one, I wouldn't have been able to move. Diego was gone, and that glaring fact killed the fight in me.

Suddenly I was airborn, I could hear the wind rushing by my ears and I crashed into a tree then crumpled to the ground. I should have tried to run, but Diego was dead, and I just couldn't get around that.

The blond vampire from the clearing was staring intently at me, his body ready to spring. He looked very capable, but he wasn't lunging at me. He was totally in control.

"Please," I said again, wanting him to get this over with. "I don't want to fight."

Though he still held himself ready, his face changed. He looked at me in a way I didn't totally understand. There was a lot of knowledge in that face,and something else. Empathy? Pity, at least.

"Neither do I," He stated in a calm, kind voice. "We are only defending ourselves."

There was such honesty in his odd amber eye that it made me wonder how I had ever believed any of Riley's stories. I felt guilty. How could I trust anything I'd been told?

"We didn't know," I mumbled, somehow ashamed that I'd been tricked so easily. "Riley must've lied. I'm sorry."

He listened, just for a moment, and I realized that the battlefield was quiet. It was already over.

If I'd been in any doubt over who the winner was, that doubt dispersed when, a second later, a female vampire with wavy brown hair and golden eyes hurried to his side.

"Carlisle?" she asked in a confused voice, staring at me.

"She didn't want to fight," He told her.

The woman touched his arm. He was still tensed to spring. "She's so frightened, Carlisle. Couldn't we..."

The blonde, Carlisle, glanced back at her, and then he straightened up a little, though I could see he was still weary.

"We have no wish to harm you," The woman said to me. She had a soft, soothing voice. "We didn't want to fight any of you."

"I'm sorry," I whispered again. "I'm so sorry."

I couldn't make sense of the mess in my head. Diego was dead, that was the main thing, the devistating thing. Other than that, the fight was over, my coven had lost and my enemies had won. But my dead coven was full of people who would have loved to watch me burn, and my enemies were speaking to me kindly when they had no reason to. Moreover, I felt safer with these two strangers that I'd ever felt with Raoul and Kristie. I was relieved that Raoul and Kristie were dead. It was so confusing.

"Child," Carlisle said. "Will you surrender to us? If you do not try to harm us, we promise we will not harm you."

And I believed him.

I nodded my head. "Yes, I surrender. I don't want to hurt anybody."

"He held out his hand encouragingly. "Come, child. Let our family regroup for a moment, then we'll have some questions for you. If you answer honestly, you have nothing to fear."

I got up slowely, making no movements that could be considered threatening.

"Carlisle?" a male voice called.

And then another yellow eyed vampire joined us. Any sort of safety I'd felt with these strangers vanished as soon as I saw him.

He was blond, like the first, but taller and leaner. His skin was absolutely covered in scars, spaced most thickly together on his neck and jaw. A few small marks on his arm were fresh, but the rest were not from the brawl today. He had been in more fights than I could have imagined, and He'd never lost. His tawny eyes blazed and his stance exuded the barely contained voilence of an angry lion.

As soon as he saw me he coiled to spring.

"Jasper!" Carlisle warned

Jasper pulled up short and stared at Carlisle with wide eyes. "What's going on?"

"She doesn't want to fight. She's surrendered."

The scarred vampire's brow clouded, and suddenly I felt an unexpected surge of frustration, though I had no idea what I was frustrated with.

"Carlisle, I..." He hesitated, then continued, "I'm sorry, but that can't be possible. We can't have any newborns associated with us when the Vulturi come. Do you realize the danger that would put us in?"

"I didn't understand exactly what he was saying, but I got the jist of it. He wanted to kill me.

"Jasper, she's only a child," The woman protested. "We can't just murder her in cold blood."

It was strange to hear her speak like we both were people, like murder was a bad thing. An avoidable thing.

"It's our family on the line here, Esme. We can't afford to have them think we broke this rule."

The woman, Esme, walked between me and the one who wanted to kill me. Incomprehensibly, she turned her back to me.

"No, I won't stand for it."

Carlisle shot me an anxious glance. I could see that he cared alot for this woman. I would have looked the same way at anyone behind Diego's back. "Jasper, I think we have to take the chance," he said slowly. "We are not the Volturi. We follow their rules, but we do not take lives lightly."

"They might think we created our own newborns in defense."

"But we didn't. And even had we, there was no indescretion here, only in Seattle. There is no law against creating vampires if you control them."

"This is too dangerous."

Carlisle touched Jaspers shoulder tentatively. "Jasper. We cannot kill this child."

Jasper glowered at the man with kind eyes, and I was suddenly angry. Surely he wouldn't hurt this gentle vampire or the woman he loved. Then Jasper sighed, and I knew it was okay. My anger evaporated.

"I don't like this," he said, but he was calmer. "At least let me two take charge of her. You two don't know how to deal with someone who's been running wild so long." Annoyance coursed through my body. Running wild? I never ran wild!

"Of course, Jasper," the woman said. "But please be kind."

Jasper rolled his eyes. "We need to be with the others. Alice said we don't have long."

Carlisle nodded. He held his hand out to Esme and they headed past Jasper back toward the open field.

"You there," Jasper said to me, his face a glower again. "Come with us. Don't make one rash move or I will take you down." He gripped my arm suddenly, and I jumped, feeling a shock run down my spine. His eyes widened and he stared down at me, then he retreated back to a glower, as if it were my fault he'd rubbed his feet on too much carpet.

I felt angry again as he glared at me, and a small part of me wanted to snarl and show my teeth, but I had a feeling he was looking for just that kind of excuse to get rid of me.

Jasper paused as if he'd just thought of something. "Close your eyes," he commanded, letting go of my arm.

I hesitated. Had he decided to kill me after all?

"Do it!"

I gritted my teeth and shut my eyes. I felt twice as helpless as I had before.

"Follow the sound of my voice and don't open your eyes. You look, you lose, got it?"

I nodded, wondering what he didn't want me to see. I felt some relief that he was bothering to protect a secret. There was no reason to do so if he was just going to kill me.

"This way."

I walked slowely after him, careful to give him no excuses. He was considerate in the was he led, not walking me into any trees at least. I could hear the way the sound changed when we were in the open; the feel of the wind was different, too, and the small of my coven burning was stronger. I could feel the warmth of the sun on my face and the insides of my eyelids were brighter as I sparkled.

He led me closer and closer to the muffled crackle of the flames, so close that I could feel the smoke brush my skin. I knew he could have killed me at any time, but the nearness of the fire still made me more nervous.

"Sit here. Eyes closed."

The ground was warm from the sun and the fire. I kept very still and tried to concentrate on looking harmless, but I could still feel his glare on me, and it made me agitated. Though I was not mad at these vampires, who I truly believed had only been defending themselves, I felt the oddest stirring of fury. It was almost outside myself, as if it were some leftover echo from the battle that had just taken place.

The anger didn't make me stupid, though, because I was too sad- miserable to my core. Diego was still in my mind and I couldn't help thinking about how he must have died.

In my head, I saw Riley's face again- that smooth, cold expression that had formed as he'd threatened to punish and of us who wouldn't behave. I heard again his macabre and oddly detailed description: "When I take you to her and hold you as she tears off your legs and then slowly burns of your fingers, ears, lips, tongue, and any other superfluous appendage you may have one by one.

I realized now that I'd been hearing the description of Diego's death.

I felt sick. I wanted the sound of Diego screaming in agony out of my head, but it wouldn't leave.

No, that wasn't Diego. There was screaming in the field.

I flinched and my eyelids fluttered, but Jasper snarled furiously and I clenched them together at once. I'd seen nothing but the heavy lavender smoke. I heard shouting and a strange, savage housing. It was loud, and there was a lot of it. I couldn't imagine how a face would have to contort to creat such a noise, and the not knowing made the sound more frightening. These yellow-eyed vampires were so different from the rest of us. Or different from me, I guess, since I was the only one left. Riley and our creator were long gone by now.

I heard names called, Jacob, Leah, Sam. There were lots of distince voices, though the howls continued. Of course Riley had lied to us about the number of vampires here, too.

The sound of howling tapered off until it was just one voice, one agonized, inhuman yowling that made me grit my teeth. I could see Diego's face so clearly in my mind, and the sound was like him screaming.

I heard Carlisle talking over the other voices and howling. He was begging to look at something. "Please let me take a look. Please let me help." I didn't hear anyone arguing with him, but for some reason his tone made it sound like he was losing the dispute.

And then the yowling reached a strident new pitch, and suddenly he was saying "thank you" in a fervent voice, and under the yowl there was the sound of a lot of movement by alot of bodies. Many heavy footsteps coming closer.

I listened harder and heard something unexpected and impossible. There wer dozens of deep thumping noises. Almost like heartbeats, but definitly not human hearts. I knew that particular sound very well. I sniffed hard, but the wind was blowing from the other direction, and I could only smell the smoke.

Without a warning sound, something touched me, clapped down firmly on either side of my head.

My eyes started open in panic as I lurched up, straining to jerk free of this hold, and instantly met Jasper's warning gaze about two inches from my face.

"Stop it," he snapped, yanking me back down on my butt. I could only hear him, and I realized that his hands were sealed tight against my head, covering my ears entirely. I stared into his golded irises, frozen in fear. If it's had a heart, it would have been pounding out of my chest.

"Close your eyes," He instructed again, probably at a normal volume, but it was still hushed for me.

I struggled to calm myself and shut my eyes again. There were things they didn't want me to hear, either. I could live with that, if it meant I could live.

I could still hear some of what was going on, but just the howling and a few voices. Whatever those weird thumping sounds had been, they were too muted for me to examine them now.

I did make out the words when, a few minutes later, Carlisle said, "You have to..." his voice was too low for a second, and then, "...from here now. If we could help we would, but we cannot leave."

There was a growl, but it was oddly unmenacing. The yowling became a low whine that disappeared slowly, as if it was moving away from me.

It was quiet for a few moments. I heard some low voices, Carlisle and Esme among them, but also some I didn't know. I wished I could small something; the blindness combined with the muted sound left me straining for some sourse of sensory information, but all I could smell was the horrible sweet smoke.

There was one voice, higher and clearer that the others that I could hear most easily.

"Another five minutes," I heard whoever it was say. I was sure it was a girl who was speaking. "And bella will open her eyes in thirty-seven seconds. I wouldnt doubt that she can hear us now."

I tried to make sense of this. Was someone else being forced to keep their eyes shut, like me? Or did she think my name was Bella? I hadn't told anyone my name. I struggled again to smell _something_.

More mumbling. I thought that one voice sounded off. There was no ring to it at all, but I couldn't be sure with Jasper's hands so securely over my ears.

"Three minutes," The high, clear voice said.

Jasper's hands left my head, and I found myself missing the contact as the wind brushed my ears, even though I was relieved to be able to hear again.

"You'd better open your eyes now," He told me from a few steps away. The way he said this frightened me. I looked around myself quickly, searching for the danger hinted in his tone.

One whole field of my vision was obscured by the dark smoke. Close by, Jasper was frowning. His teeth were gritted and he was looking at me with an expression that was almost frightened. Not like he was scared for me, or of me, but like he was scared _because_ of me. I remembered what he's said earlier, about my putting them all in danger with something called the Volturi. I wondered what the Volturi was. I couldn't imagine what this scarred-up vampire would be afraid of.

Behind Jasper, four other vampired were spaced out in a loose line with their backs to me. One was Esme. With her were two other females, a tall blonde woman and a tiny black haired girl. There was a dark-haired vampire so big that he was scary to look at. He was the one I'd seen kill Kevin. For an instant I imagined that vampire getting a hold on Raoul. It was a strangely pleasent picture.

There were three others behind the big one. I couldn't see exactly what they were doing with him in the way. Carlisle was kneeling on the ground. Next to him was a male vampire with dark red hair. Lying flat on the ground was another figure, but I couldn't see much of that one, only jeans and small brown boots. It was either a female or a young male. I wondered if they were putting the vampire back together.

Suddenly the vampire on the ground started to get slowly to her feet, moving awkwardly, almost like she was some clumsy human.

Suddenly the breeze shifted and I could smell everything.

Jasper hissed at me furiously and shoved me out of my crouch and back onto the ground, gripping my shoulders with a force this would've snapped my clavicles had I been human. Hell, he could probably break then even now.

It was her, the human I'd been hunting not to long ago. The scent my whole body had been focused toward. The sweet, wet scent of the most delicious blood I'd ever tracked. My mouth and throught felt like they were on fire.

The human named Bella stared at me with stunned brown eyes. Looking at her made it worse. I could see the blood flushing through her thin skin. I tried to look anywhere else, but my eyes kept circling back to her.

The redhead spoke to her in a low voice. "She surrendered. That's one I've never seen before. Only Carlisle would think of offering. Jasper doesn't approve." I nearly scoffed at the understatement, but I was too focused on the human girl.

Carlisle must have explained to that one when my ears were covered.

"Is Jasper all right?" the human whispered.

"He's fine. The wenom stings," The vampire said.

"He was bitten?" she asked, sounding shocked by the idea.

Who was this girl? She had her hands pressed against the redhead's chest, and if she's been a vampire, I would have guessed they were together. Why did these vampires allow her to be with them? She looked so comfortable with them. Why wasn't she scared? She seemed like she was part of this world, and yet she didn't understand it's realities. Of course Jasper was bitten. He's just fought, and destroyed, my entire coven. Did this girl even know what we were?

"He was trying to be everywhere at once," The redhead spoke to the human. "Trying to make sure Alice had nothing to do, actually." He shook his head.

"Overprotective fool," Alice's clear soprano voice range through the field. Jasper met her stare with a half smile, seeming to forget that I existed.

I could barely fight the instinct that wanted me to make use of his lapse and spring at the human girl, but the vampire with the dark red hair met my eyes with a fierce warning glare. I knew I would die if I tried for the girl.

Jasper turned his attention back to me and snarled. I had never tried to stop myself from feeding before. I dug my hands into the ground, looking for something to hold on to but finding nothing. Jasper leaned into a crouch, and even knowing I was two seconds from death, I couldn't focus my thirsty thoughts.

And then Carlisle was right there, his hand on Jasper's arm. He looked at me with kind, calm eyes. "Have you changed your mind, young one?" he asked me. "We don't want to destroy you, but we will if you can't control yourself."

"How can you stand it?" I asked him and just him, almost begging. He had to be burning too. Wasn't he? "I Want her." I stared at the human in question, desperately wishing the distance between us was gone. My fingers raked uselessly through the rocky dirt.

"You must stand it," Carlisle replied solemnly. "You must exercise control. It is possible, and it is the only thing that will save you now."

If being able to tolerate the human was my only hope for survival, then I was already doomed. I didn't want to die, I didn't want pain, but what was the point? Everyone else was dead. Diego had been dead for days.

His name was right on my lips. I almost whispered it aloud. I gripped my skull and tried to think about something that wouldn't hurt. Not the girl, and not Diego. It didn't work very well.

"Shouldn't we move away from her?" The human whispered roughly, breaking my concentration.

"We have to stay here," said the vampire she was clinging to. "They are coming to the north end of the clearing now."

He must be talking about the mysterious Volturi.

Carlisle began to back away from the fire, and me, closing ranks with the others. They were all staring past me into the smoke, so whatever they were afraid of was closer to me than it was to them. I huddled tighter to Jasper in spite of the threat he imposed.

"Hmmm" It took just that one syllable and I knew exactly who it was. If I hadn't already been frozen solid with mindless terror, I would have bolted.

It was the dark cloaks.

The cloaked vampires ghosted through the vapor to face the yellow-eyes. None of them so much as glanced in my direction.

There were four of them, same as last time.

"Welcome, Jane," The yellow-eyed one holding the human greeted.

They knew eachother, but the redhead's voice was not friendly. On the contrary, it was cold and polite. So these were the Volturi?

The small vampire who led them, Jane I assume, scanned the vampires behind me and their human pet, then finally turned her head to me.

"I don't understand." Her dead voice betrayed a hint of annoyance.

"She surrendered." The redhead explained.

"Surrendered?" Jane snapped.

I peeked to see the dark-cloaks exchanging glanced. The redhead has said he had never seen anyone surrender before. Maybe they hadn't either.

"Carlisle gave her the option," The redhead said. He seemed to be the spokeperson for his coven, though Carlisle appeared to be the leader.

"There are no options for those who break the rules." Jane's voice was dead again.

My bones felt like ice, though I wasn't panicked anymore. It all seemed inevitable now.

Carlisle answered Jane in a soft voice. "That's in your eyes. As long as she was willing to halt her attack on us, I saw no need to destroy her. She was never taught."

"Though his words were neutral, I almost thought he was pleading for me. But, as he said, my fate was not up to him.

"That is irrelivant," Jane confirmed.

"As you wish."

"Aro hoped that we would make it far enough west to see you Carlisle," she said. "He sends his reguards."

"I would appreciate it if you would convey mine to him

Jane smiled. "Of course." She looked at me again, the corners of her mouth still slightly holding the smile. "I appears that you've done our work for us today... for the most part. Just out of professional curiousity, how many were there? They left quite a wake of destruction in Seattle."

Carlisle was the one to answer her question. "Eighteen, including this one."

There was a barely audible murmur among the four cloaked vampires.

"Eighteen?" Jane repeated, a note of surprise in her voice.

"All brand new," Carlisle said. "They were unskilled."

Unskilled and uninformed. Newborn, Jasper had called me. Like a baby.

"All?" Jane snapped. "Then who was their creator?"

I grit my teeth. As if they hadn't already been introduced. This Jane was a bigger liar than Riley.

"Her name was Victoria." The redhead answered.

How did he know when even I didn't? I remembered Riley saying something about a mind-reader in their group. Is that how? or was it just another one of Riley's lies?

"Was?" Jane asked.

The redhead jerked his head toward the east like he was pointing. I looked up and saw a cloud of thick Lilac smoke billowing from the side of the mountain.

Was. I felt a similar kind of pleasure to what I'd felt imagining the big vampire shredding Raoul. Only much, much greater.

"The Victoria," Jane asked slowly. "She was in addition to the eighteen here?"

"Yes," he confirmed. "She had only one other with her. He was not as young as this one here, but no older than a year."

Riley. My fierce pleasure intesified. If -ok, when- I died today, at least I didn't have to leave that loose thread. Diego had been avenged. I almost smiled.

"Twenty" Jane breathed. "Who dealt with the creator."

"I did," the redhead replied coldly.

Whoever this vampire was, whether he kept a pet human or no, he was a friend of mine. Even if he were the one to kill me in the end, I would still owe him.

Jane turned to stare at me with narrowed eyes.

"You there," she snarled. "Your name."

I was dead anyway, at least according to her, so why give this lying vampire anything she wanted? I just glared at her.

Jane smiled at me, the bright happy smile of an innocent child, and suddenly I was on fire. It was like I'd gone back in time to the worst night of my life. It felt like I was buried in the middle of my coven's funeral bonfire, with flames on every side. I could barely hear myself scream over the pain I felt in my ears.

"Your name." Jane said again, and as she spoke the fire disappeared. Gone like that, as if I'd only imagined it.

"Bree," I said as fast as I could, still gasping though the pain wasn't there anymore.

Jane smiled again and the fire was everywhere. How much pain would it take before I would die of it. Why wouldn't someone rip my head off? Carlisle was kind enough for that, wasn't he? Or whoever their mind reader was. Couldn't he or she understand and make this stop?

"She'll tell you anything you want to know," the redhead growled. "You don't have to do that."

The pain vanished again, like Jain had turned off the a light switch. I found myself facedown on the ground, panting as if I actually needed air.

"Oh, I know," I heard Jane say cheerfully. "Bree?"

I shuddered when she called my name, but the pain didn't start again.

"Is his story true?" She asked me. "Were there twenty of you?"

The words flew out of my mouth. "Nineteen or twenty, maybe more, I don't know! Sara and the one who's name I don't know got in a fight on the way..."

I waited for the pain to punish me for not having a better answer, but instead Jane spoke again.

"And this Victoria, did she create you?"

"I don't know," I admitted fearfully. "Riley never said her name, and I didn't see that night... It hurt." I flinched. "He didn't want us to be able to think of her. He said our thoughts weren't safe."

Jane shot a glance at the redhead, then looked at me again.

"Tell me about Riley," Jane said. "Why did he bring you hear?"

I recited Riley's lies as quickly as I could.

"It looks like Riley was wrong about the easy part," Jane said, a hint of teasing in her voice.

It seemed like Jane was pleased with my story. In a flash of insight, I understood that she was relieved Riley hadn't told me or the others about her little visit to our creator. Victoria. This was the story she wanted the yellow-eyes to know, the story that didn't implicate Jane or the dark-cloaked Volturi. Well, I could play along. Hopefully, the mind reader was already in the know. Though I couldn't physically take revenge, I could tell them everything I know with my thoughts. I hoped.

I nodded agreeing with Jane's little joke, and I sat up because I wanted the mind reader's attention, whoever that was.

"I don't know what happened." That part was true. The mess on the battle field was still a mystery. "We split up, but the others never came, and Riley left us, and he didn't come to help like he promised, and then it was so confusing, and everybody was in pieces." I flinched at the memory of the torso I'd hurdled. "I was afraid. I wanted to run away." I nodded at Carlisle. "That one said they wouldn't hurt me if I stopped fighting."

"Ah, but that wasn't his gift to affer, young one," Jane said. She sounded like she was enjoying herself. "Broken rules demand a consequence." She turned to Carlisle. "Are you sure you got them all? The other half that split up?"

"We split up too."

"I can't deny that I'm impressed," Jane said, sounding sincere.

"Yes," The three vampires behind her agreed.

"I've never seen a coven escape this magnitude of offensive intact," Jane continued. "Do you know what was behind it? It seems like extreme behavior, considering the way you live here. and why was the girl the key?"

"Victoria held a grudge against Bella," The redhead told her.

So the strategy finally made sense. Riley just wanted the girl dead, no matter how many of us died to get it done.

Jane laughed happily. "This one" and she smiled at the human the way she'd smiled at me. "seems to bring out bizarrely strong reaction in our kind."

Nothing happened to the girl. Maybe Jane didn't want to hurt her, or maybe her horrible talent only worked on vampires.

"Would you please not do that?" The redhead asked in a controled but furious voice.

She laughed again. "Just checking. No harm done, apparently."

So Jane couldn't hurt this girl the way she could me, and this wasn't a normal thing for her.

"Well, it appears that there's not much left for us to do," Jane said, her voice a dead monotone again. "Odd. We're not used to being rendered unnecessary. It's too bad we missed the fight. It sounds like it would have been entertaining to watch."

"Yes," The redhead retorted. "And you were so close. It's a shame you didn't arrive just a half hour earlier. Perhaps you could have fullfilled your purpose here."

I fought a smile. So the redhead was the mindreader, and he'd heard everything I'd wanted him to hear.

Jane stared back at the mind reader with a blank expression. "Yes. Quite a pity how things turned out, isn't it?"

He just nodded, and I wondered what he was hearing in Jane's head.

She turned her face back to me now. There was nothing in her eyes, but I knew my time had run out. She's gotten what she needed, not knowing I'd given the mind reader everything I could, and protected his coven's secrets as well. He'd killed Victoria and Riley for me.

I glanced at the mind reader from the corner of my eye and thought, _thanks_.

"Felix?" Jane said lazily.

"Wait," said mind reader said loudly. He turned to Carlisle and spoke quickly. "We could explain the rules to the young one. She doesn't seem unwilling to learn. She didn't know what she was doing.

"Of course," Carlisle agreed eagerly, looking at Jane. "We would certainly be prepared to take responsibility for Bree."

"We don't make exceptions," Jane told them, amused. "and we don't give second chances. It's bad for our reputation. Which reminds me," She went on, her eyes locking onto the human girl. "Caius will be so interested to hear that you're still human, Bella. Perhaps he'll decide to visit."

_Still_ human?

"The date is set," The little vampire with the short black hair said in a clear voice. "Perhaps we'll come to visit you in a few months.

Jane's smile disappeared like someone had wiped it off. She shrugged, turning back to Carlisle. "It was nice to meet you, Carlisle. Well, until we meet again."

This would be it then. I still didn't feel afraid. My only regret was that I couldn't tell Fred more about all of this. He was going almost totally blind into this world of dangerous politics and dirty cops and secret covens. But Fred was smart and careful, and talented. What could they do to him if they couldn't even see him? Maybe the yellow-eyes would meet Fred someday. _Be nice to him, please,_ I thought at the mind reader.

"Take care of that, Felix," Jane said indifferently, nodding at me. "I want to go home."

"Don't watch," The redheaded mind reader whispered.

I closed my eyes... and it was then that all hell broke loose.

**Saria: yup, definitely never writing a chapter that long EVER again... It's all just one big plagerism festival... but I need the backstory... took me hours, and I didn't even come up with virtually any of it... boo... **


	2. Chapter 2

**Saria: Chapter two! the part where I take over! yay! I tried to make the beginning of this chapter more primal. I focused less on people actual thoughts and more their emotional reactions (at least for Jasper)**

**Disclaimer: Don't own or claim**

A loud, feral growl ripped through the smoke-swept clearing. I froze, expecting to feel the sickening crunch of my head being twisted off, much like what I'd seen the brawny, curly haired vampire do to Kevin. I hoped that it would be a quick death, like that, and not anything drawn out like the pain that Jane had so flippantly inflicted on me. At least spare me that.

I remained tense for another millisecond, but there was no pain. Nothing physical or mental. I swallowed. Why were they waiting? Did Jane find some sick pleasure in torturing me by drawing out the inevitable? She and all of the other dark-cloaked Volturi too, huh? Did they change their mind, and decide they _weren't_ going to punish me for the deeds of my coven? not likely.

Another savage Growl caught my attention. It was closer this time, and my eyes snapped open to identify It. I was met with the site of the dark-cloaks staring past me, shock in their ruby eyes. Jane grinned with child-like glee, suddenly.

"So that's how it is, now, is it?" She chuckled. She wasn't talking to me. She was talking to someone behind me. The yellow-eyes? Did Carlisle come to my rescue? Or even the mind reader maybe?

I turned my head, my eyes skidding over the billowing lavender smoke and snapping straight to take in the yellow-eyes' actions. The mind reader hadn't moved. He still held the fragile human girl, but a look of surprise ghosted in his amber eyes. He seemed to be frozen, holding his human pet's head in his chest, sheilding her from having to witness my impending doom. His jaw hung slightly open, a breath skittering into his mouth in a gasp. Could vampires go into shock? Because he seemed to be.

The big burly vampire from before was frozen into the dirt beneath him, his arms were wrapped around a model-esc blonde girl, no, she was a woman, who was beyond beautiful, even by vampire standards. A grin of adrenalin was pasted across the male's lips, as opposed to the look of horror in his mate's eyes.

Carlisle had his arms out, as if to warn him fellow yellow-eyes against moving. His focus was split between his coven and the dark-cloaks. he opened his mouth to speak, but hesitated as Esme clutched his side with her long fingers. Her golden eyes were wide. Fear was apparent in them as her gaze flickered to me them back. Was she suddenly afraid of me? afraid for me? Why would she be? I was going to die anyway.

There was the small vampire. The pixie-like yellow-eyes female who's hair stuck out in an organized mess. Her sharp features paled more than humanly possible. It didn't even seem possible for a vampire. She tensed, preparing to jump in at any moment. I couldn't be sure of why though. She hadn't made any effort to defend me before."Jasper!" she yelled out, her bell-like voice coming out in soprano peels.

And then there was Jasper. Suddenly I understood what had all the yellow-eyes on edge. He was crouched in an offensive position, the smoke casting shadows over his many scars, causing a menacing effect. His eyes were clouded, the gold in his irised flashing with bloodlust. His lips were curled back over his white teeth as his teeth gnashed together and another threatening grown ripped out of his throat. He hands balled into fist and he coiled into a spring. It seemed the entire time I assessed him, he staring at me. I understood, or at least I thought I did. He was going to kill me.

I didn't have time to flinch before Jasper was already in the air, sailing toward me, his arms outstretched. I snapped my eyes shut and tensed, bracing myself for the impact and inevitable pain that would follow, but there was none. I could smell him, a scent that was a mix between fresh hay and and underlying spice, so I knew he was near, much nearer than he had be. He must be waiting for me to open my eyes so he could see my fear before getting it over with. He wanted to torture me like Jane had. Well, I wasn't about to give him the pleasure. I squeezed my eyes tighter, not expecting to be given mercy.

Suddenly, another growl ripped through the air. This one was so close the I could feel the vibrations in caused in the air around me. I could hear the air whistle as it hissed, passing through gritted teeth.

My eyelids fluttered, expecting you see Jasper's scarred face close to mine, but I didn't. There was just the yellow-eyes, all staring past me with similar looks of shock or horror, all Except for the human that is. Her head was still buried in the mind-readers shirt. They were surrounded by a hue of orange-tinted yellow. I brushed it off for an optical illusion created by the smoke that I'd become hyper aware of due to the adrenalin pumping through my system.

The smell of hay hit my senses again and my head snapped back to find the Volturi punishers scattered in a looser line than the neat one I'd seen them arrive in. They were all on the defence, their shoulders tense and, on Jane specifically, there was an expression of masochistic glee.

Their eyes were firmly glued to Jasper, who crouched between me and them, his back to me. The muscles in his shoulders rippled, causing the fascets of diamond to show as the smoke cleared for a moment. My unnecessary breath hitched as I noticed his many scars. They were easy to identify because they were slightly raised on his skin, causing the light to reflect differently. He was engulfed in a seemingly Fiery red light that screamed blood lust. It wasn't the kind of bloodlust that I was dealing with, the kind that made me force myself to focus on anything but that sweet liquid pulsing through the human girl's veins. It was the kind of bloodlust that turned people into killers, the kind that was tainted with the intent to murder just for the sake of it.

I didn't recognize this man from the one that had calmly told me he would kill me without a second thought. Now, he didn't seem to be thinking at all.

The cloaked vampire, I assumed he was the Felix that Jane spoke to, took a step foreward and Jasper responded by dipping deeper into his crouch. He wasn't retreating, no, he was getting ready to jump the Volturi punisher. Jasper was defending me. As animal as his behavior was, even if I was scared out of my wits now because I knew he had lost himself to instinct, I was touched.

Jasper coiled to spring and suddenly he was in midair, lunging at the cloaked vampire.

Jane smiled.

Jasper crashed onto the ground, sending dirt flying in every direction and I scrambled back to avoid the clash. Even still, dirt pelted my rock skin and stuck in my already tangled mess of hair. Jasper writhed on the ground, his torso contorted into an unnatural position. Pain was evident on his face, though, unlike my reaction to Jane's horrible gift, he made no sound aside from a grunt of surprise. His eyes connected with mine and I still could see no rational recognition. "J-jasper?"

I turned to look at the pixie-vampire when she gasped out his name. No one moved as she clutched her head. Her eyes rolled up slightly and suddenly the golden light around her flashed a bright green. Her eyes focused again and then they found their way to mine, connecting our gazes. There was an expression of shock on them before it slowely morphed into anger.

"You!" She launched herself at me, her short black hair flying in all directions. I was too surprised to do anything. Me? What about me? What did I do?

Her hands were outstretched in a claw-like fashion but before she could reach me, she was intercepted by a lion-like Jasper.

I think I screamed, but I wasn't sure. If I did, it was drowned out by the sound of two diamond bodies clashing. They landed into the dirt creating a noticeble crater in the ground. Jasper gripped the girl's neck, seeming fully prepared to crush the vertibre in her neck.

"Emmett! Grab him!" The previous frozen Carlisle suddenly yelled out. He was on the move, nodding to the curly haired vampire They both darted foreward, grabbing a gnashing Jasper. They locked their arms around his struggling torso, gripping his arms in a vise-hold. He didn't stop his pursuit. The Spice scented vampire seemed intent on getting the young pixie girl.

Jasper made an attempts to decapitate his captors, nearly getting his arm out and around Carlisle's neck, but he because distracted as a broken cry slipped out of the said pixie girl. "Jasper..." Her voice cracked, despite it's vampiric clarity. Jasper blinked his hazy eyes, clearing them until rational thought returned to him.

He stared at the panting girl in shock. "What did I..." Suddenly he turned his head to me, confused. Our eyes met and a vulnerability I'd never seen before flashed through his golden irises. His brow wrinkled and his teeth grit together. His expression turned angry, and I knew now that this anger was directed at me. My own irrational anger rose and swept through me like a wave.

Like it was my fault he went wacko! How dare he stare at me accusingly! I was fully prepared to just accept my death, but then he had to go and mess it all up.

Suddenly, there was an arm around my neck, and I panicked. Yes, I'd come to terms with my death before, but now that someone had made such a display to stop it, I didn't want to die. A hand landed on the side of my temple, and I could feel as the twisting began, and I shut my eyes, cringing. This was definitely going to hurt more than that time Jen ripped off my arm.

"No!" The mind reader yelled out.

"Edward?" I could hear the humans muffled voice.

"Don't kill her." There was a look of renewed determination in the redhead's eyes.

"And why not?" Jane's monotone voice floated past me.

"You can't prove she did these things you accuse her of." I was surprised to hear the human girl speak in my defence. Didn't she know what Jane was capable of? Even with that aside, didn't she realize how much I wanted to kill her right now? how much I wanted to feel her warm blood pulsing out of her throat and down my own.

I averted my thoughts as the mind reader sent a warning glare my way.

"Of course!" Carlisle exclaimed. A knowing smile graced his lips, but he had yet to relinquish his hold on Jasper, who'd stopped struggling and settled for glaring at me. "She has yet to have a fair trial! There is no proof this girl specifically killed inconspicuously."

Jane narrowed her eyes. "Guilt by association."

"If that was the case, you'd be dead as well..." The thought slipped out of my mouth and the next thing I knew I was engulfed in flames again. I screamed, feeling the burning sink into my bones.

"Fine," Jane's feathery voice wafted through my screams of pain. "We'll take her to Aro, and he can judge her."

"You'd kill her before you even left the continent." The model blonde hissed.

"Rosalie," Esme said in a warning tone.

"Tell me you weren't thinking the same thing."

"Let us take care of her," Carlisle reasoned. "Aro owes me a favor. Surely letting one harmless newborn live for a while longer won't cause too much disruption. We would make sure she stays out of trouble. We'll even bring her after my son's wedding with Bella" wedding? Bella? "Then we can discuss the fate of this child." Carlisle spoke in a final tone. "_That_ way we can ensure a fair trial."

Suddenly the pain stopped. "Put her down Felix." The pressure on my head was relieved as I dropped to the ashy earth at Jane's order. I held myself up on my arms. Quickly I scrambled away. Jane seemed to give in too easily, and I was suspicious of her motives, especially went I saw the misterious glint flash in her ruby eyes. Apparently I've moved too far, too fast, because the yellow-eyed vampires all shifted back at my proximity.

"I can't argue with your logic, Carlisle," Jane gritted her teeth in frustration. "but I will personally be sure that Aro know's of this 'favor' you've calling of him." She waved Felix back to her and I flinched as she sent a sweet smile to one of the people behind me.

"Will you please stop trying to attack Bella, Jane?" I heard the redhead mutter behind me, annoyed. I heard him shift, getting a better grip on the human girl.

"No harm done," Jane closed ranks with the other cloaked vampired. "We'll be taking our leave, but I expect we'll meet again soon." Without another word, all four of the Volturi guard turned tails and floated off into the forest, and oddly graceful sight for such malignent creatures.

No one move for what seemed like hours, though in reality it was only seconds.

"They're gone." I blinked up to find the pixie had moved back to her original spot by the delishious smelling human girl, looking not a hair out of place despite her previous tussle. "We can all relax now, they're not coming back."

The implicite _yet_ hung in the air around everyone, clinging much like the lilac smoke was.

"Well," Carlisle clapped his hands together, and oddly human guesture of nervousness. "That went over well." He looked back at The big vampire, the one named Emmett who had a perpetual grin on his face. "You can release Jasper now."

Emmett did as he was told, if not a bit reluctantly. He rolled his shoulders back and flexed a bit, like he'd gotten stiff. Because vampires could totally get stiff. He caught me staring at him and sent a wide mouthed grin my way. I flinched and forced my gaze elsewhere.

Jasper took his new freedom in stride, literally. He paced the entire length of the feild several times before seeming to finally snap and run off into the forest, his shirt whipping in the smoke behind him.

The petite vampire looked ready to take off after him. There was hurt in her eyes, and I'm sure if she were human, they'd be watering with unshed tears.

"Alice," The girl pause as Carlisle called out after her. "Let him be." That seemed to be a fair idea, especially as my ears cause the sound of a tree being ripped out of the ground.

"But-"

"No," Edward interjected before she could argue more.

"Edwa-"

"Alice, I know what you're thinking. Going after Jasper is not going to change anything." He let go of the human a moment and I was surprised he'd do something so reckless with me, the uncontrolable newborn around. At least I was until I realized that the others were on alert and fully prepared to take me down if I even made a glance at the girl. "Alice, you and I both know what you saw. But only I know what _he_ was going through."

"Edward do you really want the newborn knowing-"

"She already knows about me. She figured it out while _they_ were here." Edward cut off the model-esc blond before continuing with the pixie girl named Alice. "Alice-"

"No!" The small vampire raged. "My visions are subjective! I could change it!" Visions? So Edward wasn't the only gifted one in this coven?

"Would you really do that to Jasper?" Edward reasoned. "To deter him from something that would make him truly happy?"

"He'd never have to know! He could be perfectly happy with me"

"What's going on Edward?" Esme's maturnal voice cut into the two bickering immortals. "Did Alice see something?" Well no, duh.

"Alice, you're not going to him." Edward grit his teeth at the stubborn girl, completely ignoring Esme's question. "Tell me, do you see anything actually changing if you do this."

Alice didn't answer, seemingly giving all the answer needed, but I knew she could be telling him a completely different story in her mind. I caught her gaze and flinched back as a spark of red flashed in her eyes. She looked murderous. Before anyone could think, she was off. However, she wasn't going in the direction Jasper had went, but the opposite direction, stomping off to only-god-knows-where. Vampire temper tantrum?

"That was awkward." Emmett sighed. " I hate it when you creapy phsycic people argue. I never know what the hell you talking about." He chuckled, a deep rumbling sound resonating out of his large chest, causing his muscular shoulders to shake. He was just so big, it was scary.

"Edward, what happened?" The human creeped over to the redheaded vampire, reaching her hand out tentatively. The breeze carried her scent to me, and I tensed, holding my breathe. "Did Alice see something?"

_I think that was already established. Stupid human_.

I caught Edward shoot me a menacing glance and I thought to him, _sorry, that I can't filter the thoughts that go through my head, because obviously you can just stop thinking something with sheer will power. Insert sarcasm here._

This caused him to chuckled, despite his grave eyes. It seemed like they were covered in a grey film. Actually, now that I thought about it, his entire body looked washed out with grey. Everyone else did too, well, maybe not Emmett. Did these mysterious yellow-eyes have more secrets than I'd thought.

"We should get back to the house, I'll explain more there." Edward quickly lifted his pet onto his back and ran out of the field. He didn't even say goodbye. How rude.

"I suppose I'll have to take you then." I heard Carlisle speak and I turned to find he was looking at me. I nodded, slowly getting up to show I wasn't a threat. The scent of the human girl still permeated the field and it took all I had not to bolt after the mind-reader. I curled my hands into fists and held my breath again. "Esme, go with Rosalie to the house," he instructed the two other females left in the field. "Emmett and I will take Bree with us to the car."

"Oh yeah," Emmett rubbed his hands together in glee. "Fresh meat." He took a step toward me with that grin of his on his face. I wasn't thinking when I slipped into a defensive crouch, sending a warning hiss in his direction. I couldn't help it. Sure the guy seemed nice enough, but he was so big. The image of him snapping Kevin's head off continued to play itself through my mind as I stared up at the monster of a man.

"Emmett," Esme chastised. "You're scaring the poor girl."

"At least I know she'll keep her mitts off." I heard a mutter, and glanced to find the female blonde vampire smirking. She caught my eye and I saw a glimps of understanding. She nodded, though I had no idea what she understood. "Come one Esme. Carlisle can handle Emmett. She'll be fine."

Esme nodded, sending a soft smile my way, before turning to joining the girl. "Yes Rosalie, let's meet up with Edward and Bella." Together, they burst into the trees, and were out of sight in an instant.

"Alright," Carlisle nodded at the last other yellow-eyed vampire. "It's time we leave." He turned to me. "You're going to have to follow us, child. We promise not to harm you."

I swallowed wearily. I was still coiled in a crouch, eyeing the large one hesitantly.

"You don't have to worry about me," He grinned, and I took a step back. "I'm just a big teddy bear."

_Yeah, and I bet you could squeeze _my_ stuffing out, huh?_

The smoke continued to billow out as Carlisle approached me. "Emmett, why don't you stay behind and make sure to clean up this mess," He said, refurring to the piles of burning bodies. "I'll take Bree here, with me. I'm sure she won't be too much of a handful."

"Aww, I wanted to take on another newborn." A low growl ripped through my teeth at the subtle threat. "Whoa whoa whoa, girl." Emmett put his hands up in defence. "I was just joking." _Yeah, and I'll jokingly bite your hand off. _"We got ourselves a serious one here."

"Bree, why don't you come with me." Carlisle approached me hesitantly, probably regretting not recriuting backup. I did my best to stand straight, but the large one still made me uncomfortable. "I'm going to hold you arm now, is that alright, child?" I nodded, trusting the look in his eyes.

Slowly, he layed his pale hand on my shoulder. He started to guide me around Emmett, who smartly didn't make a move toward me. This was probably due to Carlisle's warning glance at him, for which I was greatful. We stepped out of the clearing into the dense forest. Carlisle's grip on my tightened as we wove through the maze of trees. He obviously knew where he was going, but, despite my being a vampire and having a perfect memory, I had no idea where I was. Sure, I could trace my way back to Seattle, probably, not like I would want to go back there again, but I couldn't tell you which way the road was, or where we were going.

The forest was incredibly green. Sure I'd been in it before, but I was used to being surrounded by buildings otherwise. There were no distant skyscrapers marring the grey sky above me, which I could see through the trees. Smoke clouded my vision and I focused ahead once again. Moss was on all sides of the trees around me, so it was no use using that to help direct me.

"Here we are." Carlisle pulled me out of the trees onto an inconspicuous dirt road. There was a sleek silver car there. I couldn't tell the make or model, probably because how boring I found cars, but I knew it had to be expensive. "Just get in the passenger seat."

He walked around to the other side of the car, opening the drivers side door. He paused, not getting in yet. He glanced at me with nervous curiousity. He probably thought I was getting ready to bolt. "Are you ok Bree."

I nodded, embarrassed. "Yes, thank you... I just..." I paused awkwardly. "I don't want to ruin your car." I looked at the handle, reaching out toward it then retracting me hand. "I'm kind of strong and I don't think-"

"Oh!" Carlisle chuckled with good-humour. "I can help you with that. Don't worry, we'll help you with that. Once you figure it out, it's a quite easy." As a side thought, he added. "This is my son, Edward's car, actually."

I nodded, thankful that He was so understanding. I wondered how many newborns he'd handled before.

Carlisle rounded over to my side of the overpriced vehicle and casually swung the door open. I stared in awe at how easily he'd done so. When I'd have to open the door of my coven's many basement houses, I had to focus entirely on not crushing the handle, and even then I didn't always succeed. Carlisle didn't even appear to be thinking about it

Carefully as I could, I crawled into the car, making sure not to kick, touch, or flinch near any of it's many gadgets. Who knows, the owner might go insane if his baby were scratched. This thought led me to wonder exactly which son this car belonged to.

I was sure that if it belonged to the big burly one, Emmett, I corrected myself, he'd just laugh and throw it into a scrap pile, or fix it up, or even better, use it as an excuse to ride over it in a monster truck. Yeah, he seemed like the type to do that.

I'm not sure how the mind reader would respond. He seemed like the type of person who would carefully take in the damage then decide whether or not it was worth is to fix it, or just buy an entire new one. I was sure he wouldn't have any qualms spending the money to do so. He'd probably be the most understanding about it.

It was Jasper's reaction that I would most be afraid of. From what I'd seen of him, he seemed a bit bipolar to me. Like he had too many emotions bottled up in those blonde waves. He might frown and growl disappointedly at me, muttering something about newborns, or he might react like he had in the field and go completely nuts. I guess what scared me the most about him, was I wasn't sure how her would react.

I took a deep breath before freezing in the seat. The car reeked of the human girl's scent. Carlisle couldn't be trying to torture me, could he? No, he was too nice to do that, right?

Carlisle slid into the drivers seat, buckeling himself in. His forehead wrinkled and he sniffed lightly. "Oh dear, you must be quite uncomfortable, I imagine." I didn't answer verbally. I only nodded my head stiffly. "I hadn't realized that Bella's scent would still be so strong." He shook his head and sighed. "I suppose we can't do much about it now." I grit my teeth, so he WAS trying to torture me, if only subconsciously. "Hopefully it will desensitize you for the house."

"What's in the house?" I cringed as the words slip out and I automatically breathed in.

"Well, Bella spends an awful lot of time there. And I can assure you she's there now."

I groaned internally. Of course she was going to be dangled on a string in front of me. If I didn't know any better, I'd say this was Jasper's idea. I bet _he_ never had any trouble resisting her delishous smelling blood.

Carlisle reached down to the ignition and started the car. Cool air blasted out of the vents and hit me in the face, forcing the scent the disperce, giving me momentary relief. That is, until it circulated back around the car and hit me full force. I stiffened in my seat, feeling the unique burning sensation in my throat spread. I swear it was in my toes now.

"Are you going to buckle up then?" I heard Carlisle ask, buckling his own seat belt. He definitely seemed to have a paternal streak in him. I shook my head no. If I moved, I would end up crushing the car and running off to find the nearest human to drain dry.

Carlisle sighed and reached over me for my buckle. I didn't fight him as he pulled it over and snapped it into place. "There, I refuse to let my children endanger themselves."

Children? Was I his child? I mean I knew I was young, but what? I would be more worried about _me_ endangering someone else. Or something else. Namely the car.

Carlisle slid into a comfortable stance, driving in silence down the dirt road. There was forest on either side of us It was getting bright out. It must not have been much past noon. I was glad the have the tinted windows to cover from the sun peaking out through the dull grey sky. I didn't sparkle, but I did glow a bit. I imagined it's what humans would call a "healthy" glow. Like I'd spend a good amount of time at the beach.

I've never been to the beach.

I watched at a car drive carefully by us, and we turned onto a paved road, still lined with trees. There were so many trees.

Suddenly Carlisle coughed, an unnecessary action for a vampire, but he got my attention.

"My family and I" he began. I was surprised that he refurred to his coven as family. "We're not like other vampires." I figured as much.

Carlisle paused a moment before continuing, his eyes still on the road. "We call ourselves vegitarians. We only feed off of the blood of animals." He smiled, his shoulders relaxing a bit and I turned to listen to him.

"Is that..." His head tilted in my direction as I voiced a hesitant question. I swallowed, feeling my throat burn a bit. "Why your eyes are gold?"

He chuckled. "Yes, the animal blood dilutes the red." I nodded.

"But... is it enough?"

Carlisle chuckled, his hands shifting on the steering wheel. "It seems to have worked so far. I've never fed off of a human before."

"Never?" Surely he's just exadurating.

Carlisle shook his head. "I've never wanted to be a monster, so I did what I had to." He smiled suddenly. "Edward once made a good anology of living off of animal blood. He said it's like living on tofu and soy milk. It doesn't completely satiate the thirst. It keeps us all strong enough to resist. Most of the time." His tone turn emphatic. "It's harder for some than it is for others."

"Really?"

Carlisle nodded his head, "It takes perserverance and practice."

I sat silent in my seat, contemplating his words. "Why are you telling me this now?"

"Because," he smiled a nervous smile. "If you're going to stay with us, you're going to have to live like us."

"I have to drink animal blood." I cringed at the thought. I vaguely remembered draining a rat once when I was really thirsty. It tasted horrendous.

"Yes, that's the expectation." I sighed resigned. I owed so much to this vampire and his coven. I'm sure I could do this much. "We'll all be here to help you, of course." Smiling, I felt a warm feeling arise in the pit of my chest. I was choked up.

"Thank you," I whispered.

We sat in silence for the rest of the car ride, but I was ok with it.

"We're here," Carlisle announced. I looked out to find a beautiful white house in front of me. It looked timeless, graceful, and probably hundreds of years old. It was painted a soft, faded white, three stories tall, rectangular and well proportioned. The windows and doors were either part of the original structure or a perfect restoration. It was a wonder how it stayed up. I remembered my old coven going through over three houses in the course of a month, and we stayed in a basement.

I looked around for any sign of another person, but couldn't find one. There were no other cars visible and I didn't see anyone walking by. My brow furrowed. Surely _someone_ else had to be here. This is where everyone said they'd meet.

Suddenly, there was a loud bang and I witnessed a very large, very intimidating vampire appear on the hood of the sleek silver vehicle. on instinct, I jumped into a crouch, not realizing that it was just Emmett trying to scare the pee out of me, that is of course if I had that bodily function. The seatbelt that Carlisle had so caringly wrapped over my torso ripped out of the seat, getting suck on my shouldler. One of my arms pushed out, and I almost didn't hear the metallic screaching sound of the door ripping off it's hinges and flying into a nearby tree. This wasn't even the worst. My head bumped the ceiling, only it wasn't quite a bump. I was met with no resistance as the roof of the car molded into my back. I was sure the seat behind me snapped back and broke in half as I leaned into a crouch. In my defence, it was all Emmetts fault.

Carlisle reacted pretty well, I thought. He got out and started lecturing Emmett about the sensitivity of being a newborn and how it was irresponcable of him to do something so reckless. I climbed out of the car in shock, cringing as I grasped the side for leverage, leaving an obvious pair of my handprints.

My head snapped up as I heard an ominous gasp.

"My volvo!"

So it was the mind readers car...

**Saria: I have a really different writing style from Stephanie... Like, I love comma's and she's never even heard of then :P Kidding. If you couldn't tell, Alice totally had a vision there ;] we don't know what about yet, though I'm sure you can guess. I tried to make this chapter long... which is weird for me... normally my chapters are between 1k-2k words... this is around 4-5k... it's weird... I definitely BS-ed my way through this chapter though... most of it is description and not lot's of action, which I suppose is a good thing... but I like action... I hope the pace isn't all funky now... Also, I don't regret Edward's Volvo. I hated his car... Always... It's an old lady car... I hope people caught my New Moon reference...**


	3. Chapter 3

**Saria: I knew I wanted a hunting scene in this chapter, but I wasn't sure how to get to there from the car thing... which I thought was HILARIOUS, because, like I previously stated, I hate Edwards volvo. Anyway, the hunting scene is based off of Bella's first hunt in Breaking Dawn (Yay! For plagerism!) No, but seriously, There's no other hunting scene in that book, besided maybe that one part with Renesme. It's like she decides, "Oh, I'll just starve myself forever after this." Anywho... yeah... It's funny cause all my books are kind of just strewn around my room as references :]**

**(Last) Disclaimer: I think you got it after the first two chapters, I don't own, though I use without disgression, lawl.**

To say Edward was furious about the condition of his once-car would be the understatement of the century. He was livid, screaming on and on about his precious Volvo. Well, at least I knew what _kind_ of car it was now, not that it really mattered anymore. I was relieved though, to find that was was not necessarily mad at me. No, he understood that I didn't destroy his car on purpose, all he had to do was read my mind for that. Edward fully blamed Emmett for the trash heap his poor vehicle was in right now. After all, he was the one dumb enough to frighten me, right? right.

If this had been my old coven, limbs would be flying. Man, someone would have probably brought out a lighter and tried to go homocidal on the rest of us for just being in the room. However, the Cullen clan, as I'd learned they were called, handled disappointment and anger with a queer sort of dignity. Edward had slashed the tires of Emmetts jeap, and was now sulking off in the forest somewhere. Way to be a man.

Carlisle led me into the house, walking me through the deep shade that the surrounding forest provided and onto the porch. He even opened the door for me, which made sense, what with how I left the door car.

If at all possible, The inside was even more surprising than the outside had been. It was extremely bright and very open. The sheer largeness of it nearly overwhelmed me. The back south-facing wall was completely made of glass, and beyond the line of cedars, the lawn stretched along to meet a river. A massive curving staircase took up the entire west side of the room. The wall trailed up to meet the high-beamed ceiling, and the wood floors stopped at one section and were replaced by plush carpet. Everything in the room seemed to be composed of varying shades of white.

Waiting to greet Carlisle and I was Esme. She had the same pale beautiful features as all of the other vampires I'd ever encountered, but there was somthing about her heart-shaped face her long and soft-looking, caramel-colored hair that reminded me of the mother I'd lost so long ago. She was small and slender, though not so much as Alice. She lacked the angularity of the other Cullens looked more rounded than the "typical" vampire. She was dressed casually, in light colors that matched the interior of her beautiful home. She smiled in welcome, but made no move approach me. Probably trying not to frighten me, I supposed.

"Welcome to our family," she said. She didn't hide her joyous smile. "I've prepared a room for you. I hope you'll enjoy it."

"A room?" I wrinkled my brow in confusion. "Is sleeping a special power of you guys or somethin'?"

Esme laughed, a warm, loving laugh. "Of course not, but I thought you'd enjoy a private area just for you.

"Because having a mind reader and a phsycic in the house is totally private." I glanced up the stairs to find Emmett lounging against the wall.

"Emmett, be nice." The blond model appeared beside him, giving him a well deserved glare.

"Awwww, Rose-" She cut him off, punching him in the arm.

"Don't be a dumbass, Emmett." I could hear the humor in her voice. "I'm Rosalie." She smiled at me warmly. "and this idiot is Emmett."

"Bree," I would havee blushed, had I been human.

"Rose, honey." Esme glanced at the girl, confused. "You're ok with-"

"She's fine with her." I turned my head to find Edward standing at the door, nodding at the Rosalie with understanding. A silent message passed between the two. "In fact, I think Rose might have made a new friend."

_Wait, me?_

Edward chuckled, obviously having heard my questioning thoughts.

"Alice gets Bella and now Rosalie has a new girlfriend too."

"Edward." The said girl growled at her coven mate, or as Carlisle put it, her brother. "I'm not against tearing your arm off."

"I would know before you could try."

Thye both laughed, and Edward exited, sweeping a mouth watering scent around him and into the room.

Bella wasn't at the house anymore, for which I was greatful. Her scent permeating the house was enough to drive me insane as it was, I couldn't even imagine what would have happened had she actually been here. She had left to visit some mysterious friend of hers. Someone named Jacob. No one would tell me any details aside from that, and it frustrated me beyond belief. Of course they still didn't trust me. Not like I blamed them. I _was_ in Victoria's army.

Suddenly, an almost inaudible cough sounded though the open room.

"Jasper!" Esme almost squeeled.

"Are you okay, son?" Carlisle walked purposefully over to the scarred man.

"Yes, I'll be fine, but..."

_Oh no,_ I thought._ What happened?_

"What is it Jasper?" Esme went to stand over by her husband, and I pretended to ignore the two other golden eyed vampired coming down the stairs to join _me._

"Alice-"

"Did she see something?" Emmett's booming voice sounded beside me and I cringed. He really was loud.

"Yes-"

"What did she see?" Rosalie asked.

"Please let Jasper talk." Carlisle insisted.

"Alice is going to be leaving." Jasper spoke in a small voice. He seemed smaller than before. He was hurt by the fact that she was leaving. It wasn't hard to tell. a feeling of sadness flooded me. I felt bad for him.

"What?"

"Why?"

"Does if have to do with what she saw?"

"Will she be coming back?"

"When is she leaving?"

"Stop..." The word slipped out of my mouth before I could filter it. Suddenly five pairs of golden eyes were on me, and I felt compelled to elaborate by the confusion in them. "Can't you tell he's hurting? He'll tell you what happened when he wants to tell you, but he can't do it if you all continue rapid firing questions at him." I shut my mouth. If I had ever said anything like that to my old coven, I would have been ripped limb from limb, but these were more civil vampires, and they wouldn't over react to my words.

I hoped.

"She's right." Edwards melodic voice floated through the house from an undisclosed location, and everyone nodded. They all trusted the mind reader's judgement.

"Whatever it is, son, you can open up to me when your ready."

"Thank you, Carlisle, but I think I'd rather get my mind off of it right now."

"Take Bree out to hunt then."

I blushed as Rosalie casually drapped her arm over my shoulder. I nearly ripped her arm off, I wasn't going to lie, but I soon relaxed. She didn't seem to be plotting to kill me, unlike a certain other blonde in the room had.

"Of course!" Esme clapped her hand with glee. "You are the expert on newborns. It seems fitting that you should teach her to hunt like we do. Although..." Her pale brow wrinkled. "Don't be to hard on her, Jasper."

Jasper didn't say anything for a moment, glaring at me for an unknown reason, but he nodded his head, turning tail and immedietly retreating out the door. "Follow me, newborn." My shoulders tensed. I didn't feel bad for him anymore.

_I may be a newborn, but least I don't have a boot shoved up my ass, Bastard._

Jasper led me out to the back lawn, grumbling. He darted through the backyard to the edge of the river. I followed him effortlessly.

"Are we swimming?" I asked him hesitantly when he paused by the water. Memories of that last meal with Riley appeared in the back of my mind. I could still remember the feel of the water. It was smooth until we all dove in, swimming until we reached a large ferry doing a night run from Canada. I was stuck, hearing the shrieks fill the air along with the warm scent of blood. I had no idea how many people I'd killed that night, I just remember drinking beyond the point where my thirst was quenched. I'd drunk just for the taste of the blood. Thinking back on it made me sick. How could such kind vampires spare a murderer like me?

"No," Jasper's low voice brought me back to now. "We're jumping."

"Jumping?"

He didn't answer. Instead, he took two quick strides, coiling into a crouch before launching himself from a flat stone firmly embedded into the riverbank. He arced over the water then disappeared into the trees in the other side of the river.

I had a feeling he wasn't going to wait. Quickly I backed up several paces, and took a deep, unnecesary breath. It took only one long bound to reach the waters edge. I positioned my foot against the flat stone and sprung, sending my body flying up into the air. It wasn't long until I was on the other side of the river bank.

Over the sounds of the forest, I heard Jasper approach.

"Follow me," His voice floated through the trees. "That is, if you can."

He wasn't as fast as me, but he was stronger, and as we flew through the forest, every stride of his, matched three of mine.

The wind blew through my hair and caused my torn shirt to whip out behind me. I listened to the forest teeming with life. Small creatures I'd never seen before grew silent as Jasper and I passed. They definitely had a wiser reaction to vampires that humans did.

_You want a burger?_

I blinked as the memory flashed through my brain. How stupid was I? Falling for such a line... He could have been a rapist. Then again, I would've been lucky if that was the case, wouldn't I?

"Stop," Jasper suddenly called out, his voice sounding annoyed. I did as I was told, and backtracked to where he had stopped. "We're hunting elk." He elaborated before I could reach him. I stepped through the trees to find him lounging against a tree. "I thought I'd pick something easy for your first time..." He trailed off when my eyes narrowed at the word _easy._

I wasn't about to argue, however. I was too thirsty. I hadn't fed since the ferry. The human girl hadn't made it any better. As soon as my mind wandered to the dry burn in the throat, it was all I could focus on.

"Where?" I scanned the trees, getting impatient. Now that I'd given the thirst my attention, it seemed to taint every other thought in me head. I just couldn't get away from the burning.

"Hold still a moment," Jasper was suddenly there, in front of me, with his hands on my shouldered. I jumped back into a crouch and growled at him. He raised an eyebrow at me. "Close your eyes, and listen."

I stood straight again, backing away a pace for good measure to show him I didn't trust him yet, and then I shut my eyelids.

"Tell me what you hear."

_Everything_.

I'm sure that wasn't what he meant.

I let my ears focus in, seeking something separate from the small hum of life around me. There was an open space near us and a small creek. I heard the

splash of lapping tongues and the loud thudding of heavy hearts, pumping thick streams of blood through paper thin veins.

The sides of my throat sucked closed in anticipations.

"By the creek, to the northeast." I was sure of it. I'd hunted enough so that I trusted my instinct. My eyes were still shut.

"Yes." Was I imagining the hint of approval coloring his tone? "Now, wait for the breeze again... what do you smell?"

Mostly him, with his strange hay scent. There was still that ruggedness to it. A hint of spice with, was that honey? I could also smell the rich, earthy scent of the moss and roots, the sap slipping through the evergreen and the warm, almost nutty aroma of the small rodents cowering in the forest. Then, reaching out again, the clean smell of water. I focused more toward it and found the scent that must have gone with the lapping noise and pounding heart. Another warm smell, rich and tangy, and stronger than the others. I knew that scent, it was blood, but something about it was off. It was nearly as unappealing as the idea of eating a slice of pizza. I wrinkled my nose.

Jasper remained as solemn as ever. "It takes a little while to get used to."

"Three?" I guessed.

"No."

Confused I sniffed more. "Five," I confirmed. "There are two others behind the others at the water." I paused. "What do I do now?"

His voice sounded closer than before, and there was a bit of sarcasm in it. "What do you feel like doing?"

I sighed, and breathed in the scent a bit more. Another bout of thirst intruded on my awareness, and suddenly the warm, tangy odor wasn't quite as objectable. At least it would quench the thirst that threatened to cause me to burst.

I let myself drift with the scent, barely awar of my movement as I ghosted down the incline to the narrow meadow where the stream flowed. I shifted forward into a low crouch at the edge of the trees. There was a male at the stream's edge, and I could see the shadow-spotted shapes of the four others heading eastward into the forest at an unaware, leisurely pace.

I was going to go for the male, centering my attention on the hot spot of his neck where the warmth pulsed strongest, but as my muscled bunched in preparation to leap, the wind shifted, blowing from the south. I didn't even stop to think as I hurtled out of the trees, scaring the elk into the forest. I was racing after a new fragrance that overtook my sences.

As I raced to the scent, I became suddenly alert of the fact that I was being followed. There was only one instinct more powerful than the need to quench the fire in my throat. Self-preservation.

I could hear my pursuer gaining, and defence won. I spun, and a feral growl ripped its way up and out of my throat.

The wind shifted, once again, blowing the smell of wet earth and coming rain across my face, freeing me from the human scent's fiery grip.

Jasper seemed to hesitate a few feet away, his arms raised as if to restrain me. His face was calculating and intent, and I froze, horrified.

I realized I'd been about to attack him. That was just the kind of excuse he'd use to get rid of me. I straightened out of my defensive crouch. I held my breath and refocused, trying to block off the scent coming up from the south.

As he saw reason return to my face, he took another step toward me, lowering his arms.

"We have to go back." I grit my teeth, spitting out the words with my limited breath.

Shock crossed his scarred features. "_Can_ you leave?"

I burst into a run again, as if to prove a point. I ran past him in a flat-out sprint straight north, concentrating solely on the uncomfortable feeling of sensory deprivation that was my body's only responce to the lack of air.

Once again, I was aware of being followed, but I was sane this time. Though, I was running faster than I ever had before, Jasper caught up with me after a quick minute.

A thought occured to me, and I stopped dead in my tracks. I was sure that the scent wouldn't be polluting the forest this far away.

An object with the force of a semi-truck hit me as Jasper crashed into me, surprised by my sudden freeze. We flew through the air, crashing into a tree, which became uprooted and fell to the lush forest floor. I fell over the tree, tripping in surprise despite my acute sences. My shoulders and back crashed into the ground, forming a dent in the wet earth.

I tried to get up, but a heavy object held me still. Jasper had his strong hands on my shoulders, restraining me from even shifting. He was glaring at me with his strange amber eyes.

"How did you do that?" He demanded.

"Do what?"

"How did you stop hunting?"

I watched him, confused. "You startled me when you came up behind me." I paused. "I'm sorry about growling at you..."

He completely ignored my apology, mumbling to himself. "I still don't understand how you could have run away."

"What else could I do?" I was shocked. His attitude confused me. What did he _want_ to have happened? I yeah, I bet he wanted me to attack so he could get rid of me. Well, It was too bad. I was alive because of the yellow-eyed vampires, no thanks to him, and I wasn't about to let them down.

I growled softly at the blond vampire, prepared to tell him to get the hell off of me, but I was struck by the look in his eyes. They weren't hard and angry anymore. there was a certain unknown softness to them that I could not identify. He almost had a glow of pride around him, a subtle yellow tint hazing up from him.

I was swept up by a flood of sudden, and equally strong emotions. I was used to the thirst, I knew I'd have to live with it my entire life, but I didn't understand what I was experiencing now. With Diego I'd shared a deep-rooted sense of companionship. He was someone I could play with, someone who I had no qualms just sitting around with for hours and joking with, but something differented seated itself in my emotions now. I wasn't quite sure where it came from either, this sudden shift in the air. Warmth spread throughout my body, despite my physical cold temperature, and rooted itself in my gut. I was nervous, but not in a way I would describe as bad. I felt fragile for the first time since my second life began. Yes, what Diego and I shared was love, but this feeling that I was swept up in as I looked up at the dangerous man, not boy, above me was different.

It was stronger.

I reached up to trace the marred planes of Jasper's face, the tips of my fingers lingering on his lips. He made no move to stop me, seeming to be stuck in the same trance as I was. I couldn't imagine who could scar such a beautiful man, and almost hissed holding back the urge to go hunt them down and make sure they died a horribly painful death.

As that gruesome thought flashed passed my mind, suddenly I remembered something important; this man wanted to kill me.

I pushed Jasper off so suddenly that, despite his hands already on my shoulders, he went flying off into the vegetation. I stood, crouching behind the fallen tree and growling. The action felt wrong now, and it caused my stomach to twist in regret.

My eyes flickered around, landing on a very surprised Jasper. He composed himself quickly however, his face mimicking a blank mask. The yellow around him shifted to an almost somber blue.

"You need to finish hunting." Hurt stung me. So that's how it was going to be; like nothing had ever happened. Fine, I could deal with that.

Frustration over my situation filled me and I turned and darted silently eastward. The ground sloped steeply upward almost at once, and I ran in a hunting crouch, close to the ground, taking to the trees when it was easier. I sensed rather than heard Jasper with me, following quietly through the woods.

The vegetation thinned as we climbed higher, catching the now familar scent of elk. A few second more and I heard the crunch of hooves. My eyes pinpointed the movement linked to the sound and I pounced. With a light bound, I sailed through the air and landed on the elk's back, knocking us both to the forest floor. My teeth unerringly sought his throught as he bucked with panic. My jaw locked over the precise point where the heat flow concentrated.

The flavor was wrong, but the blood was hot and wet and it soothed the ragged, itching thirst as I drank in an eager rush.

The elk was done before I was and I dropped the dead carcass to the floor, standing erect in one quick move.

"That was disgusting." I swear a flash of a smile crossed his face, and it took all I had to remind myself that I was annoyed at him.

"You could have done better." _What? No tips?_

"I did perfectly fine." My eyebrows knitted together, wrinkling my forehead. "Why does it taste so off?"

"Herbivores. The meat-eaters smell more like a human."

"Probably not that much." I recalled the scent of human blood.

"We could go back." There wasn't a hint of emotion on his face as he spoke. "Whoever was out there, I'm sure no one would miss them."

I rolled my eyes, not falling for his obvious bait. "Let's go hunt some stinking herbavores."

We found a large herd of deer as we ran back toward the Cullen house. He hunted with me this time. He'd finished two before I had one, not a hair out of place, nor a spot on his linen shirt. I watched carefully to see how he was able to hunt so neatly.

It was surprisingly sensual to watch Jasper hunt. His smooth spring was like a cobra striking; his hands were so sure, so strong, so completely inescapable, and I could still feel them ghosting my shoulders. His lips were parted over his gleaming teeth, and I felt a sudden jolt of both pride and desire.

He was very quick to react. He turned to me and gazed curiously as I tried to compose my emotions.

"Aren't you going to hunt?"

"You distracted me. I was watching you to mimick your movement so I wouldn't make such a mess. You're much better than me."

"I've had almost two centuries of practice." _Was that a threat?_

"But not quite." Two could play that game.

"Are you done for today then?" He completely disreguarded my comment, even turning his back to me. I would've pounced on him if the thought hadn't caused my gut to twist uncomfortably.

"I'm done."

I felt very full, sloshy even. I think I drank more than when I had on the ferry, and I wasn't sure how much more liquid I could fit into my body. The burn in my throat was still there, but it was muted now.

"Want to go back now."

He nodded, turning. He almost ran off before I stuttered out, "I'll race you."

He almost grinned, responding with, "On your mark..."

Finding my way back to my new home was simpler than spotting the space needle in Seattle. Our scent left a clear and easy trail to follow, even running as fast as I could. Jasper had me beat until we reached the river. I took a chance and made my leap early, using my extra strength to win.

"Ha!" I shouted in glee when I heard my feet touch the grass first.

Listening for his landing, I heard something I wasn't expecting to hear. Something loud and much too close. A thudding heart.

Jasper was beside me in a second, his hands clamped down hard over the tops of my arms, and I was reminded of our earlier encounter.

"Don't breath." His own breath brushed the back of my neck, causing my hair to stand on end.

I tried not to panic as I froze mid-breath. My eyes were the only things to move as I instictively tried to find the source of the sound.

Between me and the house stood Edward. "Bella want to see you, Bree." His lips tightened into a line as he spoke, and the panic sparked worse.

"Sshhh..." I felt more than heard Jasper murmur behind me. "You can do it. We're all here." _To protect her._ The unspoken words sounded louder than the vocalized ones.

_What a stupid human, wanting to see an out of control newborn like myself._

I caught the mind readers eyes, and he nodded grimly. He didn't want me seeing her either.

"You'll help me right?" I stared at Edward.

"Of course. None of us would risk Bella."

I had a sudden yearning to see her, to understand the worship in the voice of this vampire for his human pet. I broke my frozen pose and took a step forward.

Edward turned and sprinted into the house ahead of us.

They all waited for me in a smiling line that was both welcoming and defnesive. Rosalie was several paced ahead of the rest of them. closest to me, alone with a small reassurring smile on her face.

Someone near the back was leaning foreward, peering around Edward. Immediately, she had my absolute attention, my everythought. This human shiny chocolate hair curled slightly down her back and her brown eyes examined me with an interest that was not at all as naive as it had been in the field. She raised one hand, almost waving in my direction for a moment. Seeing this unanticipated person only made my interest in her more fantastic.

Bella's eyes stayed locked with mine. Then, she smiled at me. and I accidentally breathed.

Reeling inside, I took a hesitant step toward her.

Everyone moved extremely fast.

Emmett and Carlisle were right in front of me, shoulder to shoulder, hands ready. Jasper gripped me from behind, fingers tight against the tops of my arms. Even Esme and Rosalie moved to get Emmett's and Carlisle's flanks.

Edward, surprisingly, was the only one who held his place.

"She was just curious." He spoke, reassuring them. "She wasn't going to do anything rash. Not with Jasper behind her."

Edward was right. Not about the Jasper thing. As much as this human smelled delishious, it was like a switch had been flipped. I was more curious as to why these vampired valued her so much.

There was temptation, believe me there was, but it was perfectly balanced with my fascination of these gold eyes, and their strange colored haze.

Jasper's eyes were tight, focused. I knew he was thinking. "I'm fine," I felt I had to assure him.

When Bella heard my voice, the too-aware human became impatient.

"Let us through." Jasper suddenly spoke. "Bree's got this."

I stared at the blonde man. He didn't refure to me as the newborn. I was in shock. Well, if vampired could go into shock.

"But what about-"

"The risk is minimal." Jasper spoke over my head. I hadn't realized he was that much taller than me. "Listen, Carlisle, on the hunt she caught the scent of some hikers..."

I heard Carlisle suck in a shocked breath, and Esme's face was suddenly filled with concern. Rosalie's eyes widened a bit, but she nodded just a tiny bit. Emmett shrugged, and Edward seemed even less concerened, probably have already heard the story from Jasper's thoughts. Of course they all lacked faith in me, I was the newborn. The thought saddened me. I didn't want to be a burden on these nice vampires.

"How could you let this happen?" Carlisle chastised. I wanted to rise up to his defence to remind Carlisle that he was the one who sent Jasper with me.

"I know, I should have taken the time to make sure we were safe before, letting her loose. I was just... a bit distracted."

Edwards eyes narrowed in concentration at his brother.

"What are you hiding Jasper?" Could he not read his mind now?

"He not hiding anything." I muttered. "It's not his fault you all jumped to conclusions." I'll admit, I was a bit hung over the fact that they all had so little faith in him.

"She didn't hunt the humans." Edward said it like he had been there.

"She started to," Jasper said. I ground my teeth together, remembering the scent of the hikers. "She was almost entirely focused on the hikers' scents, but she heard me behind her and reacted defensively. As soon as her concentration was broke, she snapped right out of it. She realized at once what was happening and then she ran away.

"Seriously?" Emmett murmured. "Did she attack you?"

"No!" I interjected, defending myself. I was glad he didn't tell them about our encounder immedietly after the hiker incident.

Edwards frown caught my attention. Crap, he probably heard my thoughts; he seemed suddenly disturbed. "I see what you mean, Jasper."

Jasper seemed shocked. Edward had just figured out what he was hiding, and he didn't know how. It dawned on him as he glanced down at me. Obviously he'd failed to realize that whatever he was doing with him mind to block Edward, I didn't know how to do.

I pretended to not pay any attention, so as not to incriminate myself. Instead I stared at the human by the front door, who was still staring at me. She reached to wave again, and I automatically lifted my hand to mimic hers.

I thought about every step before I took it, analyzing the burn in my throat, the position of the others around me, the _reaction_ of the others around me. How contained I felt versus how well they would be able to contain me.

"Hi," I whispered.

Jasper was still by my side, his hands lightly on my arms.

"Hello," Her voice was scratchy, obviously a human, but there was a certain ring to it, almost like a muted bell off in the distance. She pushed a straind of her hair back behind her ear, causing some of her delishious scent to waft toward me. I tensed, leaning back into Jasper, who's grip was still fairly loose. Edward smiled a tight smile. He knew I was still thinking rationally, but he was still worried. "I'm Bella."

"Bree."

She nodded, smiling sadly. Something was bothering her, and I had to ask, "Are you-"

"WHAT'S GOING ON HERE! GET THE NEWBORN AWAY! SHE'S GOING TO KILL BELLA"

"Alice?"

**Saria: I started this story during spring break so I had lots of time to type up the first two chapters, but schools started up again so I haven't had quite as long to do this. Boo, and the bright side, only a couple of months left of school, so that's a goody thing. I feel bad for not updating in a timely manner, but hey... at least I updated, right? right.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Saria: So, I haven't been getting many of reviews for the story, and I really wasn't expecting as much as I've gotten anyway simply because of the fact that it's a BreeXJasper story, and not many people are into this crack pairing, but the reviews I've gotten so far are so awesomely amazing that I feel I actually have the motivation to continue this fic and follow it through to the end instead of it just being a passing thought that eventually perishes and is discontinued. Thank you sooooo much my lovely people for your amazing words of encouragement! I apologize for the delay, but I was M.I.A. for a while due to my amazing trip to the Southeast Alaska High School Music Festival and then my laptop literaly died...**

**TIME SKIP! Lawl**

_**ISABELLA MARIE SWAN**_

_**AND**_

_**EDWARD ANTHONY MASEN CULLEN**_

_**TOGETHER WITH THEIR FAMILIES**_

_**REQUEST THE HONOR OF YOUR PRESENCE**_

_**AT THE CELEBRATION OF THEIR MARRIAGE**_

_**SATURDAY, THE THIRTEENTH OF AUGUST**_

_**TWO THOUSAND AND ELEVEN**_

_**FIVE O'CLOCK IN THE EVENING**_

_**420 WOODCROFT AVE**_

_**FORKS, WA**_

_**CHILDHOOD IS NOT FROM BIRTH TO A CERTAIN AGE AND AT A CERTAIN AGE**_

_**THE CHILD IS GROWN, AND PUTS AWAY CHILDISH THINGS.**_

_**CHILDHOOD IS THE KINGDOM WHERE NOBODY DIES**_

-EDNA St. VINCENT MILLAY

"I think the quote at the end of the card is kind of cliche." _It's not like it matters,_ I think to myself as I toss the glossy invitation onto the dash. _Alice isn't one to sway from her final word._

Even if her word is a straight up dirty lie, not like I could convince anyone except maybe Rosalie and possibly Edward of that.

As I sat waiting in the passenger seat for one of the three traffic lights in the small town of Forks to turn green, I happened to peek to the right. In her minivan, a thin human sat with her entire torso turned in my direction. I flinched, expecting to smell the scent that was supposed to accompany humans but was relieved when none hit me.

The closed windows of the vehicle I sat in were so thick and darkly tinted that the woman probably had absolutely no idea that I was in in here, let alone that I was salivating over the idea of her warm blood pumping out of her throat and down mine. I tried to take comfort in the fact that I was able to hold back a bit. She was, after all, just staring at the car.

_Bella's_ car. Groan.

"I think so too, but Alice is not one to be easily persuaded." Rosalie sat next to me in the drivers seat. with her blond locks cascading down her back and sticking to the legitimate leather head-rest behind her. Her hands were placed loosely over the steering wheel, and her manicured nails shone in the sunlight, screened by the overcast skies. Rosalie had kind of become my best friend slash mentor in the short time I had spent with the Cullens so far, even with being busied by all of the wedding planning she'd been involved in doing with Alice. Rosalie had been the only one who stuck behind me and defended me after _the incident_.

The light finally turned from red to green. She tapped the gas pedal, and the car shot foreward.

Our goal was to reach the gas station.

"Why do we have to do this, again?" I whined, letting my head fall back.

"Careful," Rosalie warned when she heard the leather cry in protest to the force from my head. I had yet to figure out how to control my strength subconsciously. Even if most of the time I was okay, I still broke things alot. "We have to do this because Bella refuses to be seen in the thing and she's running on vapors. I personally can't believe she has let her car get to this state in the first place."

_I wouldn't want to be seen in this thing either,_ I mumbled internally. It'_s a monster._

"Besides, I figured you would do well to get out of the house. You seemed to be getting a bit claustrophobic in the room of yours." She was right. I'd spent the last month settling into my room, arranging it, then rearranging it six-hundred and thirty-four million, ten-thousand nine-hundred and seventy-two times. Yes, I counted. I was trying to distract myself from the scents of the many humans trafficing the house for wedding prep purposes. Alice had them all called in to make sure everything _seemed_ normal enough. I personally think that it was her goal to torture me. She wanted me to slip up and fall off the wagon. It wasn't enough that she shattered any trust that I'd gained from being a good little newborn. Even though Edward tried to tell them that my thoughts were completely innocent, Alice could _see the future_. She seemed to have convinced most everyone that I was constantly planning to corner Bella in a dark alley and drink her dry, not that the idea didn't appeal to me. It's just that _staying alive _seemed even more appealing. Even if he knew I wasn't planning on it, Edward would kill me if I even thought of taking a sip from his _fiance_.

Rosalie pulled into the gas station, a busted up old place with a tin roof that's sat oxidizing for the past half a century, and slid smoothly into a tight space. Only a vampire could parallel park that well. No, correction, only _she_ could parallel park that well.

Moving as if she had all the time in the world, Rosalie flipped opened the hatch, twisted the cap off, scanned her card, and slid the nozzle into the tank, taking up to a whole minute to do so. It didn't help that the numbers on the gauge slid by at an obnoxiously slow pace. They ticked by sluggishly, almost as if they were doing it to annoy me.

I was glad that the smell of gasoline surrounded me as I watched two greasy looking men sauntered over from their fancy SUV with brand-new (looking) kayaks tied precariously to the top. Neither of then noticed me; their eyes were trained on Rosalie and the vehicle I sat in.

Personally I didn't understand some peoples fascination with cars. I was glad I could finally distinguish between the symbols for Toyoda, Ford and Chevy, even if it was only due to my perfect vampire memory. This car was glossy black, sleek, and pretty, but still it was just a car to me, as easily broken as Edwards newly replaced volvo.

"Um, miss?"

Miss? That didn't match Rosalie at all.

One of the men glanced over to me as the words sputtered through his lips.

"I'm sorry to bother you, but could you tell me what kind of car you're driving." Oh, I get it now. I'm the less pretty of the two, so they think that I know more about the car than Rose. Boy, were they wrong.

"Mercedes?" I was pretty sure that's what the brand was.

"Yes," The man said politely while his shorter friend rolled his eyes at my answer. At least he was a polite greasy man, the shorter one however, I'd like to bite his head off just for being so obviously rude. It's a good thing I couldn't smell him because of the pump. "I know, but I was wondering if it was the Mercedes _Guardian?"_ Yup, this guy is going to get along well with Rose.

"Yes, actually." Said person cut in, relieving me of the embarassment of saying anything else stupid.

"But, they aren't supposed to be available in Europe yet," The man whined. "let alone here."

Don't ask the question if you're gonna argue with the answer, man.

"And?" Rosalie almost seemed impatient with the men.

"Do you mind if I take a picture with it?"

Rosalie glanced at me when she heard the question, and it took me a millisecond to process that she was asking if I could handle it. I nodded inperceptively.

"Fine, but don't smudge it." She swiftly put away the nozzle and crept into the front seat to hide with me while the enthusiast dug a huge camera out of his camera. He and his friend took turns posing by the hood, and then they went to take pictures at the back end. The childishness of it almost made me chuckle and I was reminded of the quote at the end of the lusterous wedding invitation still of the dash of the car.

"This is stupid," I muttered to myself.

Rose nodded, but I knew she knew I was glad she had gotten me out of the house, under the condition I didn't step one foot out of the car. She could see that I was one step away from tearing down the house in frustration and of course Jasper-

I stopped that thought cold, refusing to let it come to a conclusion, for fear I would ruin Bella's pretty new car. Instead, I listened to the men's voices outside, muted only slightly by the car walls.

"Yeah, they went at it with a flamethrower in the online video. Didn't even pucker the paint."

"Of course not. You could roll a tank over this baby. Not much of a market for one over here. Designed for Middle East diplomats, arms dealers, and drug lords mostly."

"You think _they're_ something?" The short one asked in a softer voice. I gnashed my teeth, offended.

"Huh," the tall one said. "Maybe. Can't imagine what you'd need missile-proof glass and four thousand pounds of body armor for around here. They must be heading somewhere more hazardous."

Body armor. _Four-thousand pounds_ of body armor. and _missile_-proof glass? Nice. Now I understand why Bella didn't want to be seen in this. Edward might as well stick her in a plastic bubble for the rest of her human life. Because obviously she's so fragilely human, so accident-prone, so much a victim to her own dangerous bad luck, apparently she needed a tank-resistant car to keep her safe. It's not like she hangs out with the worlds most dangerous creatures or anything. Way to be over-protective of your pet, Eddy-boy.

_Or maybe_, I thought to myself._ He's just worried about her. This can't have been the first time he's gone a bit overboard to protect her. _

I sighed quietly, hoping Rosalie took it for boredom. I wondered if Diego would have done the same thing for me had I been human, or would he have just killed me as soon as he caught my scent like I had done with so many humans before.

At least after the wedding Bella will be virtually indestructable, unless there was a black hole. Could a black hole destroy a vampire?

"Hey," The tall man, the polite one, called. His hands were cupped on the glass of my window in an effort to peer in. So much for not smudging the car. The oils from his fingers smeared onto the glass, and I could see the small veins of his fingeres pumping threateningly close to my mouth. "We're done now. Thanks alot."

"You're welcome," I called back, and then tensed as I registered the strangled mewl that escaped with those words.

Rose saved me, by starting the engine and ever-so-gently easing the gas pedal down.

I'd only ever driven down this road once when Carlisle took me on a tour of the small town, and just like the time before, I saw the rain faded flyers superimposed on the dreary, grey background. Each one of them, stapled to telephone poles and over street signs, showed a muscular quileute boy from the reservation down on La Push.

_HAVE YOU SEEN THIS BOY?_

_ The poster's said his name was Jacob. _Apparently he'd disappeared soon after I arrived and after the new born battle. I almost wondered if one of my old coven-mates escaped and attacked him. The Cullens told me they didn't know anything about him and not to worry, but to me It seemed like too much of a coincidence for to linger on it.

I stared out the window, thinking about whether or not the boy was in pain, or even if he was still alive. It didn't seem likely by now.

Suddenly, the thought of pain caused my mind to wander to Jasper. He was one of the reasons I needed to get out of the house. I'd hurt him, unintentionally of course. I fully blamed it on my being a newborn, though that didn't make me feel any less guilty.

I watched the rain through the tinted window, remembering the evening that it had happened.

It was after a particularly long day of wedding planning and Carlisle was talking to him in his study; the one with all of the paintings. I don't think that he quite realized I wasn't actually reading the book that Edward had so graciously loaned me. He had worriedly asked Jasper to check on how I was feeling to make sure I was getting settled into the house alright. Even with the mind reader and the future seer, the walls were so so thin, there really was no privacy. I couldn't _not_ hear their whispered conversation down the hall.

I expected Jasper to come stomping into my room all military style with his spice-hay scent, and his honey blond hair waving around wildly in a way that I'd become so used to seeing in such a short time and ask me how I was doing, but I was thrown off when he didn't. He didn't even yell at me, or speak to me at all. Instead he replied that I was feeling fine.

That was when it all clicked. Jasper could read emotions. I wasn't sure how I figured it out. I just knew it meant one thing. He knew that I wasn't going to attack Bella that first day when Alice came busting in. He could feel I was in control. something about the fact that he chose to stand by set me off. He didn't defend me. He let me be persecuted falsly with out any good reason, other than probably not liking me very much.

It's safe to say I became thouroughly angry, and launched myself at him.

Even if he was three rooms away.

Carlisle had to replace those walls.

Jasper lost an arm that day, a feat that I'm actually a bit proud of, even if I was teared at by guilt afterward. It really was a newborn snap. I was perfectly fine one moment, and the next I was screaming at him, tearing at everything I could. He didn't even fight back, which was the shocking part, and when I saw the look on his face, I realized why. That's when the guilt set in. He knew the reason I was mad, and he let me take it out on him. All the threats to rip me to pieces and burn me to a crisp if I so much as stumbled out of line meant nothing at that moment, because _he_ felt bad too.

I was sobbing when Emmett and Carlisle finally pulled me off. I really was. I wanted nothing more than to beg on my knees for forgiveness. I didn't mean to hurt him; he could have had perfectly valid reasons for doing what he did, like protecting his family. I was just upset.

I avoided Jasper after that, and he avoided me as well. It was made worse by the fact that I knew he was in the house. I could hear him moving around, hear him breathing, hear his slight accent whispered through the halls.

I was going insane.

And Rosalie let me escape by taking me on this simple errand. I don't think she even realized how close I was to just running off and going to find Fred.

The only other time I ever left the house was to hunt.

With Jasper.

I prefured not to talk about it.

"Rose?"

"Yes?" She didn't turn her golden eyes to me, the same golden that my own frighteningly red ones had began muddying down to, but I knew I had her full attention.

"Could I borrow your cell phone?" I was nervous to ask. I didn't want to break it or anything, but the curiousity was gnawing at my insides.

"Only if I get to know who you're calling."

"It's just Edward." And it was just Edward I was going to call. "Besides, you can listen in on our conversation, so it shouldn't matter."

"Fine." Rosalie whipped out her small touch screen phone and tossed it at me. I panicked when I caught it. I didn't want to crack the screen or anything. It seemed to be fine, but I handled it extra carefully just to be sure. I dailed the familiar number and stuck the electronic device to my ear. Edward answered a millisecond later, and I heard his voice over the crackling static. Of course my super hearing made phone conversations a bother, but this was the only way I could talk to him.

"Rose?" confusion etched his voice, and I could just imagine him with his brow all wrinkled.

"No, it's Bree." All he had to do was hear the first word to know it was me, but I felt the need to elaborate, a human habit that stuck with me. "Are you alone?"

"Actually yes, I'm out in the forest." Now that I focused on it, I could hear the faint trickling of a stream in the background.

"Hunting elk?"

"No, scenting out some mountain lions. Tonight is my 'bachelor party', remember?" I could hear him mentally put quotation marks around the offending words.

I nodded, smiling. Even a vampire could forget something I suppose. "Well, I was just wondering how _he_ was doing."

"Ahhh, checking up _again_?" I knew Edward was teasing me, but I was legitimately worried. "He's fine, a bit peaved that you snuck up on him, which impressed me by the way. No one had ever one-uped Jasper, let alone got close enough to scar him" There was a pause. "and survived."

"Edward!" Rosalie yelled next to me.

"Sorry Rose." He chuckled on the other end. "Oh, gotta go. I'm meeting Bella before the hounds drag me away for the night." I smiled. Jasper and Emmett were pretty relentless on his bachelor party. It was surreal how _normal_ this coven of vampires was. Going to highschool, having parents, a wedding.

I smiled a bit, hanging up before the dial tone could sound. I handed Rosalie's phone back to her. I wasn't quite as confident in my throwing abilities as she was with hers, and I would have probably ended up tossing it half way across the town had I even attempted to get it to her that way.

Rosalie and I drove in silence at the speed limit until we finally reached Bella's house. Rosalie and I waited in the car, having awkwardly interupted an intimate moment between Edward and Bella.

"_You_ are my future." I heard Bella whisper from her bedroom, and for a moment, a dull ache spread throughout my body. She had someone to share her future with. My future was murdured in cold blood. But whenever I thought of Diego I remembered that there was that moment in the forest with-

"Now stop. No moping, or I'm calling yor brothers to come and get you. Maybe you _need_ a bachelor party." I smiled a bit at this. Edward did seem a bit uptight.

"I'm sorry. I am moping, aren't I? Must be the nerves." See? Told you so.

"Are _your_ feet cold?"

"Not in that sense. I've been waiting a century to marry you, Miss Swan. The wedding ceremony is the one thing I can't wait-" He broke off mid-thought. "Oh, for the love of all that is holy!"

I froze in the car. I was sure he already knew Rose and I were out here, but when I caught the scent of what had startled him, I wanted nothing more than to hide underneath the seat, and being the super strong vampire that I was, I could probably tear up the apholstery and do that, but I had a hunch that Edward probably wouldn't have liked that.

"What's wrong?" I heard the human girl whisper.

"You don't have to call my brothers." Edward confermed. "Apparently Emmett and Jasper are not going to let me bow out tonight."

He was right. Standing at the forest's edge were both Emmett and Jasper. They were staring up at the lit window with mischif written all over their faces. My breath hitched for a moment when Jaspers gaze flickered over to mine in the car, and I was once again struck with the dull ache. I figured I wanted to apologize for his arm, but now wasn't the time.

"Have fun," Bella whispered.

Next thing I knew, Emmett was clinging to the side Bella's window, deliberately scraping his steel nails across the glass to make a horrible, cover-your-ears, goose-bumps-down-your-spine noice. Even I shuddered.

"If you don't send Edward out," Emmett hissed menacingly. "We're coming in after him!"

I smiled when I heard Bella laugh. It was a shame I hadn't been allowed around her since the incident with Alice. I had the feeling that we would get along well.

"Go," She chuckled. "_Before_ they break my house."

"Go to sleep. You've got a big day tomorrow."

"Thanks! That's sure to help me wind down."

"I'll meet you at the alter."

"I'll be the one in white." I smiled at how perfectly cliche she sounded.

Edward chuckled, whether at her or me, I didn't know. "Very convincing." Suddenly, I saw him flying out the window swiftly. There was a muted thud as he landed on Emmett, and the burly vampire cursed.

"You'd better not make him late," I heard Bella murmur. Obviously she knew they could hear her.

And then Jasper was on her windowsill, pearing in at her, and a streak of jealousy shot through me. I hoped he hadn't noticed as he spoke quietly to her, his honey hair silver in the weak moonlight that worked it's way through the clouds.

"Don't worry, Bella. We'll get him home in plenty of time."

I hadn't realized I was holding my breath until I burst out laughing at Bella's next question. I saw Jasper glance at me from the corner of his eye. "Jasper? What do vampires do for bachelor parties? You're not taking him to a strip club, are you?"

"Don't tell her anything!" Emmett growled from the ground. There was another thud as Edward punched him in t he arm playfully, laughing quietly.

"Relax," Jasper told her. "We Cullens have our own version. Just a few mountain lions, a couple of grizzly bears. Pretty much an ordinary night out." He confirmed what Edward had told me earlier.

"Thanks, Jasper."

He winked at her and dropped silently to the ground.

I kept my eyes on him as he and Emmett disappeared into the woods as Edward approached Rose and I. She rolled down the window out of human habit and I held my breath after catching a fresh whiff of Bella on Edward.

"Just awaiting your orders, captain," Rosalie said sarcastically.

Edward smiled at his sister, then turned his gaze to me.

"How are _you_ doing?"

_Like you don't already know._

Edward smiled at my thoughts. "I was trying to be curteous."

I smiled sadly. "Can you do me a favor." All he had to do was read my mind to know what I wanted.

"Why don't you do that yourself."

Suddenly, Jasper appeared next to his brother, his hand on Edwards shoulder.

"Emmett's getting restless." His honey voice floated into the car and I swear I nearly melted into some weird pool of sparkly vampire butter right there. "We should be heading out."

"Yes, we should." Edward gave me a meaningful look, and I knew I wasn't getting out of it now that he knew what I had wanted. Had. Now I was scared to death, and Jasper probably knew it.

"Jasper." The cowboy's name slid off my tongue quickly, like I couldn't spit it out fast enough.

"Yes?" He wasn't looking at me, a reminder of our many awkward hunting trips.

"I'm-" I swallowed unnecesarily."I'm really sorry... about your arm, I mean... and... everything else."

His eyes met mine a moment and glinted with acknowledgement before he grunted and turned off to the forest. "Come on, Edward."

Before following his blond brother, who had already retreaded into the shady cover of trees, Edward murmured quietly to me, lowering his voice enough so that only I could hear it. "He's sorry too."

When Rose and I got back to the house, we were immedietly set to review the guest list, a job that was done a thousand times already and was really more to keep us busy than anything else.

"Wedding planning is boring," I sighed, starting with the last names that ended in "A".

"Really?" Rose asked. "I've always loved wedding planning, even as a human."

I glanced at her, noticing the sad glint in her eye before she carefully masked it. "Do you remember much of your human life?"

I could see her almost chuckle with a sort of ironic expression. "Yes, I do... If you think about your human life enough, it doesn't really go away." I didn't think much about my human life. I didn't want to.

"What was it like?" The curiousity painted my voice, coloring it.

Rosalie's sad golden eyes met mine. "I lived in a much different world than you did, Bree. My human world was a much simpler place. It was 1933. I was 18, and I was beautiful. My life was perfect." I could see as she wander off into her mind, reminiscing. "I lived in Rochester, New York. I had two younger brothers, a housewife for a mother, and a father who worked at a bank. My father's job helped keep the family wealthy during the Great Depression. I was beautiful and constantly praised. I'm not going to lie. It made me vain and self-centered as a result." Rosalie paused, and laughed without humor. "My parents even took pride in my looks. I enjoyed that my father took pleasure in buying me beautiful clothes, my girlfriends' envy, and the admiration of every man I passed. I was self-absorbed, shallow, and materialistic. However, unlike my social-climbing parents, who always wanted more out of life despite their already elevated status, I was just happy in the knowledge that I was Rosalie Hale, and I was very beautiful.

"One day, My mother had me dress up to deliver my father's forgotten lunch to his job, in the hopes that the son of the bank's owner would take notice of me. It worked. Royce King II sent roses and roses to me and, after making a comment that my eyes were like violets, I even began to actually receive them, too. Our relationship was solely based on physical attraction, as Royce was often too busy at the bank. We became engaged, but one week before the wedding, I visited my good friend Vera. I envied her for her baby boy. At one point, when Vera's husband kissed her, I finally noticed the lack of love in my relationship with Royce. While walking home afterward, I stumbled across my drunken fiancée and his equally drunk friends; Royce bragged about my beauty which eventually led to me being raped and beaten before being left in the street to die."

I think I gasped then. No I did gasp, because Rose nodded sadly.

"Carlisle found me then, attracted by the scent of my blood. He carried me to a room and then bit me. When I woke up, I heard Carlisle and Edward arguing about him saving me. Edward was unhappy with the idea that Carlisle had changed me in the hopes that I could be his mate. I was furious, of course, at Edward's rejection, even despite my own lack of feelings for him as well. I was surprised and hurt that Edward didn't seem attracted to her." Rosalie shook her head, her features fierce. " I got my revenge. I killed all of Royce's friends, saving Royce himself for last I was a bit theatric back then. I wore a bridal gown and found him locked in a windowless room with a thick, vault-like door guarded by two men. I tortured Royce to death, and even though I killed seven men, I was very careful to not spill even the smallest drop of their blood. I knew I couldn't resist.

" I stayed with the Cullen's, and two years after my transformation, I stumbled across Emmett being mauled by a bear. He features reminded me of Vera's young son Henry, so Rosalie chose to rescue him. I carried him over one hundred miles to Carlisle, who turned him into a vampire. We've hardly been separated since then... It's painful to be far away from him."

I hugged Rosalie.

"I'm so sorry."

She wrapped her arms around me. "I am too. My story didn't have a happy ending. None of ours do. If they did, we would all be buried under a gravestone." She pulled back, gripping my shoulders with a look of renewed strength on her face. "Now, we need to finish this list, again."

I smiled at her, and returned to our previously ignored "work."

While I was going over Alice's neat handwriting, I came across a coven that I recognized.

The Denali Clan.

They were a big family, almost as big as the Cullens. There were five of them; Tanya, Kate, and Irena had been joined by Carmen and Eleazar much the same way the Cullens had explained Alice and Jasper joining them, all of them bonded over their desire to live more compassionately with humans than normal vampires did.

For all the company, though, Tanya and her sisters were still alone in one way. Still in mourning. Because a very long time ago, before I was born, they'd had a mother, too.

I couldn't imagine the hole that loss would leave, even after a thousand years; I tried to visualize the Cullen family without their creator, their center, their guide, their father, Carlisle. I couldn't see it.

Carlisle had explained Tanya's history during one of the many nights I sat with him, learning as much as was possible about the rules about being a vampire in this day and age of dirty politics. Tanya's mother's story was one amoung many, a cautionary tale illistrating just one of the many rules I had to follow. Well, there was only one law really, one law that broke down into a thousand different facets: Keep the secret.

Keeping the secret meant a lot of things. It meant living inconspicuously, like the Cullens, moving on before the humans could suspect we weren't aging, or just stearing clear of humans all together, aside from mealtime. Something that my old coven hadn't quite grasped.

It also meant not creating some things in the first place, because some creations were uncontrollable.

Tanya's mother, Carlisle had explained to me, lived many years before he had. She was born in a time of plague in our world, a plague of the immortal children.

Vampires were created by the ancients out of humans who were barely more than infants. The were very beautiful. They were so endearing, so enchanting, that even I couldn't imagine. A vampire had to be but near them to love them; it was merely an automatic thing.

however, they could not be taught. They were frozen at whatever level of development they'd achieved before being bitten. Adorable two year olds with dimples and lisps that could destroy an entire village in one of their tantrums. If they hungered, they fed, and no words of warning could restrain them. Humans saw them, storied circulated, fear spread like fire in dry brush.

Apparently Tanya's mother had created such a child. As with the other ancients. The Volturi became involed, as they seemed to in most of Carlisle's stories..They had studied the immortal children, at home in Volterra and all around the world. Caius decided the young ones were incapable of protecting our secret, and so they were to be destroyed.

Covens fought to the last man to protect them. It was devistating. Long-established covens, old traditions, friends... so much was lost. In the end, the practice was completely eliminated. The immortal children became unmentionable. A taboo.

It was unclear to me exactly what happened to Tanya's mother. Tanya, Kate, and Irena were entirely oblivious until the day the Volteri came for the, their mother and her illegal creation already prisoners. It was their ignorance that saved Tanya and her sisters. Aro touched them and saw their total innocence, so they were not punished with their mother.

They were lucky that Aro felt like being merciful that day. Tanya and her sisters were pardoned, but left with unhealing hearts and a very healthy respect for the law.

I put the guest list down on the rarely used coffee table, standing so abruply that Rosalie jumped. Thinking about the story made me sick to my stomach. It just remided me of the power the Volturi held. How I had almost lost my life that day because of their action... how Diego lost his life because of their lack of.

"I'm going to my room." I didn't even glance down at my blond friend as I hurried up to my room. My sanctuary. The only place were I could block everything out.

**Saria: I feel like I definitly added alot of myself into Bree's character. She almost seemed too different, I'm hoping not though, cause I want her and Jasper to clash more... The black hole thing. That was a legit question of mine, lol.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Saria: It feels so good to be writing again, you have no idea! Special thanks to user Refigerator-Burn, who's reviews I absolutely adore! My computer is working fine now... though the keyboard is all funky so I have one plugged in... yeah, I'm saving up for a new one... one with spell check... yeah...**

I opened my amber eyes.

I lay in my bed, breathing for several second, reveling in my last moments of peace. The grey sky outside was starting to turn a pale pink while I lay there, meaning it couldn't have been later earlier than 6:00 in the morning. The clouds glowed with the oncoming sunlight and I continued to lay there as it rose farther into the sky. Finally those mysterious rays of light began to peak around the mountain, shining through a small break in the overcast clouds. I shown into my window and suddenly my room was alight.

I lifted an arm and just stared at the many shining diamond facets that reflected a rainbow across my wall. turning my arm, I recalled the first time I had discovered how my skin reflected the sunlight.

I was with Diego.

My heart hurt just thinking about it.

it was back when Riley had us tricked into thinking the sun could physically hurt us. Diego and I had gotten stuck away from the house because the one we had been staying at was burned down, and instead, Diego and I dove into the water to find a place to hide from the sun's potentially harmful rays.

I caught up with him in the water. He was racing. Racing against the sun.

He whipped around a point on a little island then dove deep. I was surprised that he didn't hit the rocky floor of the sound, and even more surprised when I could feel the blast of warmer current flowing from what I had thought was no more than an outcropping of rock.

We swan through a narrow crevice in the rocks, and eventually I realized we were swimming up, and then I heard Diego hit the surface.

I was out half a second after he cave was no more than a small hole, a burrow about the size of a volkswagen Beetle, though not quite as tall as that. A second crawl space led out the back, and I could taste the fresh air coming from that direction. I remember seeing the distinct shape of Diego's fingers repeated again and again in the texture of the walls.

We sat for a while and talked about human stuff and how we survived living with our coven.

Eventually Diego had wanted to see exactly what happened when direct sunlight hit us. He had rolled to his knees and started clawing at the limestone above his head. He dug until he could stand upright, and then kept going.

There was a loud crack, and then another crack, but no light. His feet were dangling while he held himself up with one hand and excavated with the other.

I tensed for the light, or the spark, or the explosion, but Diego had dropped back down while it was still dark. In his hand he had a root, a thick snaky thing that was almost as tall as me. He stabbed the root upward into his new hole. There was a final avalanche of pebbles and sand as Diego dropped back away from the light that pierced the darkness of the cave.

Then, in a move that seemed both absolutely expected and also completely unthinkable, he held out his hand, palm up, and stretched his arm toward the beam.

I moved faster than I could think, which was pretty dang fast. Faster than I'd ever moved before.

I tackled Diego into the back of the wall before he could reach that one last inch that would put his skin underneath the beam of light.

The room was filled with a sudden blaze, and I felt the warmth on my leg in the same instant that I realized there's wasn't enought room for me to pin Diego to the wall without some part of myself touching the sunlight.

I sighed, pulling my arm back as the sun dimmed.

I was fully back to the reality of my spotless, if not now covered in a micrscopic layer of duct, room. I felt a bit meloncholy at the recollection of a time so long ago, but I was alittle pleased with myself. I had managed to go into a sleep like state that night. I set my music on shuffle and blasted it through my headphones, loud enough to drown out the rest of the house, and I just layed there, focusing on only the music that played. I had managed to lose the whole night. Well, not really. I could keep track and remember every second that passed, every beat that played in the song with crystal clarity, but I wasn't connected with everyone else.

I had escaped to my own little world.

Refreshed, and eager to pass the day so I could do it again, I got dressed into a nice comfortable T-shirt and a pair of artificially worn out jeans then headed down to the kitchen just for a change in scenery. I cleaned the already tidy room, quickly whisping away every tiny piece of dust, and then Carlisle came in and insisted I relax a little bit. We sat down at the rarely used dining table.

"Today's the wedding." I reminded him, stating the obvious. I tucked a piece of loose dark hair behind my ear, letting my hand linger near my neck, where I could remember the fire of my transformation had bloomed. I shuddered.

"Yes. It IS what we've been preparing for all week." Carlisle smiled at me, seeming completely oblivious to my discomfort..

"There are going to be a lot of people..." I looked down at my hands, which now rested together on top of my thighs.. "What if I can't handle it."

"Do not worry. We are all here." I noted that he didn't say he thought I could handle it. "Edward can read your intentions, Jasper can keep tabs on your thirst, and Alice" I cringed minisculy at the pixie-woman's name. "will be able to see if anything changes in the future." He gave me a comforting pat on the hand. It only it actually comforted me. "Your only job is to keep yourself in check, so that no one gets hurt."  
><em>That's not my only job,<em> I thought to myself. _I also have to stay out of sight and scent. I don't even get to SEE the wedding_. I did nothing to let Carlisle in on my thoughts and from what I understood, Edward was no where near, so I was pretty safe in my own mind.

I could hear the purr of an engine as Alice drove up the path to the house in her fancy porsche, toting Bella along with her in the passenger seat. I almost felt sorry for the human. I had yet to be victim to Alice's makeover madness, and to be honest, I probably never will, but I had heard Bella's pleas for help ring through the house before.

"Well," I sighed, excusing myself from the table. Carlisle nodded at me. "I guess it's time to 'keep myself in check'." Once again, he was completely oblivious to the bite in my words.

I slid the door to the back porch open and trudged onto the grass. I dragged myself off into the forest for a not-so-nice morning snack, but not before I heard Alice's high soprano voice ring, "You'll be my sister officially in ten short hours... it's about time to get over your aversion to new clothes."

grimacing, I ran off to hunt before I could catch any more of her obnoxious peels. It's not that I disliked her, but I was still a bit peeved about her lying about me. I ended up spending my entire day out hunting, gluttonous as that first hunt with Jasper. I cornered some poor elk in the narrow trees, and I even managed to find a spare mountain lion, probably one that the boys had missed. Or spared. by the time I found myself wandering back to the house it was already almost time for Bella to be walking down the isle. I toyed with the idea of just hanging out in the forest for the night. Not like anyone would miss me.

I spotted the lights in the distance given off by the house. The three mile drive up to the victorian mansion was illuminated with thousands of twinkly lights. Every three feet they were adorned with white satin bows. The house had been decorated with a profusion of white blossoms that hung in garlands from everything in the room that wasn't alive, dripping with long white lines of white gossamer ribbons. Underneath the bowery canopy sat rows and rows of chairs, all filled with people, and at the end of the isle, stood Edward, waiting patiently for his bride under an arch overflowing with more flowers and more gossamer.

I felt a pang in my chest. Edward looked so happy, everyone did. There seemed to be an aura of happiness surrounding the entire party. I wanted to be apart of that happiness, apart of the family.

I stopped ninety feet from the forest's edge, taking a deep breath of the clean forest air, air that had yet to be tainted with human scent. Thank god I was up wind. I wasn't sure where I was planning to go from here. I could partially see the wedding party from here, so I supposed I could just stay and watch from here. I wouldn't be a problem.

Unless the wind shifted.

I shifted into a crouch as a figure suddenly slipped out from the cover of the trees, a small growl slipping through my lips before I realized who it was. When I did, I straightened slightly, still on guard. They were probably just here to send me away.

"What are you doing here?"

"Carlisle figured you were a little depressed from your conversation this morning." So he DID notice. "He wanted me to keep an eye on you to make sure you were ok." He didn't seem very exited about it. He probably wanted to be back at the wedding.

"Shouldn't you be helping Bella? I bet she's overwhelmingly nervous."

A smirk flitted across Jasper's face. "She's a big girl. She can handle it."

I nodded in acknowlegment for his comment, and we both stood silent for a moment. neither knowing what to say next.

Jasper was the one who broke the silence. "What did you plan on doing for the wedding? hiding out in the woods?"

I could have blushed. I didn't know I was that easy to read. "Not like I have anything else I could do."

"Well, I for one want to see my little sister get married, and Carlisle wanted me to let you know that you're welcome to join me if you'd like." It was surreal, hearing such a term of endearment slip from Jaspers tongue. This entire family cared so much about that one little human. I wanted the chance to care.

"Alice doesn't want me to be seen."

"Then you won't be seen."

"What about you?"

"Everyone will be too busy staring at Bella to notice I've disappeared. Besides, Carlisle know's where I am, and I'm sure Edward and Alice do too." I had just noticed Jaspers attire. He was decked out in a "monkey suit". He even had a little bow tie on, and suddenly I felt underdressed in my bloodied, ripped up jeans.

The thought of going anywhere near the wedding left me panicked. Of course I wasn't dressed for the occasion. I wasn't expecting to be let anywhere near the place.

"You look fine." This was wrong. Edward was the mind reader. Not Jasper.

What it I couldn't control myself? What if I hurt someone? What if I hurt Bella?

"You'll be fine." I stared at Jasper, who was leaning casually against a tree. Was he trying to comfort me? "This is your only chance to go." He reminded me.

_ He's only doing this because Carlisle asked him to_, I had to remind myself. _It has nothing to do with HIM wanting me to be there._

"I'll go." He turned without a word and ran off to the house with me following close behind. I watched as his honey blond waves whipped around in the wind and caught myself sighing.

As we approached, I could hear Rosalie, the best musician in the family next to Edward, begin playing the piano. Pachelbel's Canon. My nerves spiked. What if I got in trouble for disobaying Alice's blatent orders? But Carlisle said it was ok, right?

We were at the house's edge when Jasper suddenly disappeared from in front of me. My head whipped up to the roof where he now perched. He didn't say anything as he glanced back at me and just started walking forward. I followed him, feeling more at ease than I had on the ground.

Jasper stood at the other end of the roof with his back to me.

_He's leaving himself open to me_, I realized. _He must be at least trying to trust me_.

I smiled at the sentiment. I was touched that he had gone to such lengths. I stepped over to him and realized why we were here. We had the perfect vantage point for the wedding. I blinked at the scene, before dropping down onto my stomach.

"What are you doing?" Jasper's voice floated above my head, and I had to fight to keep from looking up.

"It's like watching a movie" I explained. "I want to be comfortable."

A small rumble echoed from him, and it took me a moment to realize he was chuckling.

I smiled to myself, as I saw Bella appear from inside the house, her arm hooked around her father's. Her dress was long and old fashioned, with pearly buttons all up the back and a simple train out the back. Her hair was in an intricatly braided updo that held a blue saphire comb and a small veil pinned underneath. She seemed to be only focusing on Edward, not conscious that Carlisle stood by his side, and the minister behind them both.

The march felt much to slow, like Rose was purposfully drawing it out, and I watched as Bella struggled to pace her steps to it's rhythm. Mercifully, the isle was very short, and before I knew it, she was at it's end. Edward held out his hand. Her father took her hand and, in a symbol as old as the world, placed it in Edwards.

The vows were simple, traditional words that had been spoken a million times, though I'm sure never by a couple quite like them. They had asked the minster to make only one small change, and he obligingly traded the line "till death do us part" for the more appropriate "as long as we both shall live."

In that moment, as the minister said his part, I became distracted by Jasper settled down beside me. Not laying on him stomach like I had, but sitting on the roofs edge, with his legs hanging over the side.

I didn't realize Bella was crying until it was time for her to say those binding words.

"I do," She managed to choke out in a nearly unintelligible whisper.

When it was his turn to speak, the words rang clear and victorious.

"I do," he vowed.

The minister decarled them husband and wife and I watched as Edwards hands reached up to cradle her face, carefully, as if she were as delicate as the white petals swaying above their heads. Though, I suppose in a way she was.

I laughed when Bella wouldn't break the kiss that Edward had started, ignoring the titters and throat-clearingin the audience. Jasper chuckled beside me, and I turned to look at him. He saw smiling at me and I opened my mouth to ask why when the crowd erupted in applause.

Startled, I stood up. He didn't do anything, just sat there. He turned his head back to the wedding, which was flowing smoothly into the reception; proof of Alice's flawless planning. It was just twilight over the river. The ceremony had lasted exactly the right amount of time, allowing the sun to set behind the trees. The lights in the trees glimmered, making the white flowers glow. There were another ten thousand flowers outside, serving as a fragrant, airy tent over the dance floor set up on the grass under two of the ancient cedars.

People began to line up to congradulate Bella and Edward, and as I settled back down into a sitting position, I immediatly spotted and unfamiliar group of vampires.

"That's the Denali clan." I felt, more than heard Jasper murmur next to me. "They're our cousins from up north. They live the same lifestyle as we do."

The one in front, a woman with strawberry tinted blond curls, reached out to embrace Edward. Next to her, three other vampires with golden eyes stood. One woman had long, pale blond hair, straight as corn silk. The other woman and the man beside her were both black-haired, with a hint of olive tone in their chalky complexions.

They were all four beautiful, even for vampires.

I sat watching as words of congradulations were exchanged, uncomfortable with the strangers, until a wave of calm washed over me. I knew it was Jasper, but neither him or I acknowledged the change.

All of the standard traditions were kept. dozens of camera's went off as the bride and groom held a knife over a spectacular cake; too grand, I thought, for such a reletivelt intimate group of people. They took turns shoving cake into each other's faces; I watched in disbelief as Edward manfully swallowed his portion. Bella through her bouquet with atypical skill. Jasper and I ducked as it flew to far and landed on the roof behind us. Emmett howled with laughter as Edward removed Bella's garter very carefully with his teeth, and then shot it straight into some poor teenage boy's face.

I was in awe that he could be so close to her skin and not be tempted to have a taste.

The music started then, and Edward pulled Bella into his arms for the customary first dance. When the music changed, Bella's father interviened.

Their dance wasn't quite as graceful, and they moves safely from side to side in a tiny square foration while Edward and Esme spun around them like Fred Astair and Ginger Rogers.

It seemed like everyone was dancing, and I felt a pang of isolation.

"Jasper!" I nearly fell off the roof, as if that would ever actually happen, when Edward whisper-yelled at us from down below.

"What" My heart (would have) skipped a beat when Jaspers hunny voice replied, too close for comfort.

"Either ask Bree to dance, or I'll sick Esme on you." I was shocked at his request. He wasn't listening into my mind, was he?

"No Bree, I wasn't"

"Stop doing that!" How dare he answer my thoughts out loud.

Edward shrugged, "Force of habit." He turned away, seeming to go off to find Bella. He left one last warning for Jasper. "I wouldn't risk the lecture Esme would give you for not being a gentleman."

Jasper and I didn't speak for what seemed like an hour after that, but was only a few seconds.

"Would you... like to dance?" He sounded strangled, and I had to stop myself from laughing. "I mean everyone else is... and... Esme..."

"Yeah... Esme..." I found said mother-figure in the crowd, laughing with her mate. "We could just say we did and not actually-"

"Edward would know." _Crap, he's right._

"I guess..."

"Yeah..." We both stood up, niether quite wanting to do this with eachother. Jasper held out his hand to me.

"On the rooftop?" I questioned.

He rolled his eyes, then stepped off the side of the roof closest to the forest, then walked right into the trees.

"Wait!" I ran after him into the darkened woods. I didn't see him at first, but then nearly ran into him at a small flattened area, no larger than meter square. "What is your problem? What the heck are you doing?"

"You didn't want to dance on the rooftop, right?" I was struck dumb. Of course I didn't want to, but what does that have to do with-

"Oh." I understood. We were close enough to still hear the music, but not so close that I'd have to worry about being seen.

Jasper held out his hand, not quite looking at me. "I'm only doing this because Esme would kill me otherwise."

"I know... Me too." It was a lie. a complete and total lie.

I reached out for his hand, carefeully taking it in mine. Jasper pulled me into his arms, still keeping a safe distance between us. I went willingly, despite my awareness of the danger he presented, as if his scares weren't warning enough. It was strangly nice to have him holding me. Safe.

We were silent as we swayed under the moonlight, which had just began to peak out. We didn't move much, restrained by the small space, though I'm sure we could have manuevered the forest whichever way we wanted to.

I has to stop myself from breathing in his entoxicating scent, and instead focused on his hand resting firmly on my lower back. I was looking anywhere but him, and in my periferial vision, I could see him doing the same. Of course he wouldn't like having to dance with me, but I found myself liking it more and more.

I was finally apart of something. Apart of the family.

Thinking it was safe, I let my muddied eyes flicker to his golden ones, only for his to flicker to mine at the same time. I froze, unsure how to respond to being caught looking at him. He stopped as well.

We stood there, frozen on the mossy forest floor, stuck in eachothers stares. The only sound that could be heard was the chatter and music floating from the party in the background. He shifted foreward, imperceptible to the human eye, but not to mine. His face was closer, his breath as still as my own.

Another movement closer. He was so close to me, and my breath skittered.

"What is that horrible wet-dog smell?" My nose wrinkled and I stepped away as Jasper let go.

"Shit," He grabbed my hand, and pulled me back to the party.

"What's going on?" Jasper didn't answer me. Instead, he continued pulling me along.

I felt a pang of hurt. He wasn' t telling me what was going on. Of course.

I had to stop a sob from escaping. I wasn't apart of the family. How could I be so stupid?

Edward appeared in front of us before we entered the back part of the house, where no one else was around.

"You're an idiot, you know that, Jasper?"

"Just take her." He waved me foreward to Edward. "I don't need to hear it."

"It's just Jacob." _Jacob? The boy from the poster?_ Edward didn't answer my internal question. Instead he continued berating Jasper. "You didn't have to deal with it like that."

"I'll deal with it, however the hell I need to." Jasper grit his teeth, and I saw a flash of the man I had first met. A man who I was scared of.

I backed away, and both men looked at me.

"I'll..." I swallowed. "I'll be in my room then..." I ran upstairs and shut my door tight. I grabbed my ipod, cracking the screen accidentally before getting the earbuds in and turning the volume on high.

I wanted to drown it all out. Everything. But I just kept thinking about it. I kept thinking about the secrets that I wasn't worthy of knowing, being left out of the family, and most of all, I kept thinking about Jasper. I could feel the venom that would never fall fill my eyes and I stuck my face in my pillow, wishing I could just suffocate myself, or at least fall asleep. For real.

Twenty songs and sixteen seconds later, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I jumped across the room, crouching in the corner and hissing through my perfectly white teeth. Esme stood there, a surprised expression gracing her face.

I straightened up, guilt eating at me. I didn't want to hurt this woman. She's so kind.

"Bree."

"I'm sorry!" I spit out. " Didn't mean to-"

"It's fine, it's fine." She waved it off with her pale hand. " I would have done the same thing. I just wasn't thinking." She took a hesitant step foreward."I just came to see if you wanted to say goodbye to Bella, before she leaves."

"I'm I allowed to?" I couldn't help the bitterness seeping into my voice.

"Of course you are, honey." The sincerity in her voice nearly crippled me.

"Really?"

"Yes." I took her outstretched hand.

"Thank you."

"I love you forever, Dad," I heard Bella tell her father as Esme pulled me to where her car wait. Enough in the shadows so that the party guests couldn't see me. The car was decorated with more flowers that trailed in streamers along it's length, and long gossamer ribbons that were tied to a dozen shoes, designer shoe that looked brand new, that were tied and dangling behind the bumper.

"You, too, Bells." He replied. "Always have, always will." I had to hold my breath. I'd gotten a little used to the smell of humans around the house, but he was fresh; he was right there in front of me, close enough so that in just a few strides, I could have him in my grasp. but... I couldn't hurt Bella like that.

She kissed his cheek at nearly the same time as he kissed hers. And I briefly wondered what had ever happened to my own father.

"Call me," Bella's dad said.

"Soon," she promised. Even I knew that was all she could promise. Just a phone call. Her father and mother wouldn't be allowed to see her again, she's be too different, and much, much too dangerous. Too much like me.

"Go on, then," he said gruffly. "Don't want to be late."

The guests made another isle for the newlyweds. Edward pulled Bella close to his side as they made their escape.

Right toward me.

"One more goodbye," He whispered into his human's ear.

"Huh? Who?" She looked around before she caught my eyes. He paused a moment at the car with me on the other side.

"I..." I stopped, hoping to convey all the sincerity I was feeling, despite my low mood. "I hope to see you when you get back."

Bella smiled at me. "Me too."

**Saria: This chapter was a lot shorter than I expected it to be... I have a personal goal of at least 30 KB of memory used with each chapter (about 5000 words) and when I was don't with the first draft of this, it was only 20 KB. Second draft 24 KB. It ended up being only 26, but I couldn't add anymore without sounding like I was drawing it out... gotta work harder and write more!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Alexei: As you can see, I've finally changed the title of this fic. I've also changed my pen name, so no more Saria here! Lol. Also, I want to thank my new Beta because now if there are any grammar mistakes I can blame her. Jk jk. I'm just glad I finally updated. Whew.**

/

"Rio de Janeiro?" I asked raising my eyebrows as Rosalie spoke. She nodded her head, and smiled at me, her white teeth glinting.

Now that Bella and Edward had finally left town she was free to tell me where in the world they were actually going for their honeymoon; well, where he was taking her.

"It's just one of the stops on their way. Edward is taking her to a special place off the coast. Esme has an isla-"

"No, no, no!" I interrupted her. "Where the hell is Rio de Janeiro? I've never heard of it before."

It was Rose's turn to raise her blond eyebrows at me. "Never heard of Rio? What, were you living under a rock for the better half of your life?"

"No..." Just on the streets and then in a basement.

Rose gave me an understanding look. "It's in South America; In Brazil." She shifted back on the white leather couch we were seated on. It had only been an hour since the last of the wedding guests had left and she was already changed out of her dress and into more comfortably clothes; if you call stripper heels and a tight, revealing shirt comfortable. Not that I would ever make that comment to her. She always looked gorgeous, even by vampire standards, and it wasn't like she was going to bed anytime soon. I had changed out of my hunting clothes, donning a simple blue long sleeved T-shirt and khaki short shorts.

"Of all the places that there is to go in the world to go, why Brazil?" I pulled my legs up to my chest, resting my chin on my knees and causing my long hair to fall in a curtain around me. "Isn't there a drug trafficking issue there? Does Edward want to get Bella shot? Or addicted to cocaine?" I paused to think about it. "I think I would have liked to go to Italy if I ever had the chance to get married."

"No, you wouldn't."

I gave Rose a look letting her know exactly how crazy I thought she was. "And why not?"

"Voltaire, Italy is the location of the Volturi headquarters." She cocked an eyebrow, as if daring me to say I wanted to go now. I kind of wanted to tell her I did, just to mess with her, and it's not like I would have known if I had stayed a human anyway. "And if you would have let me finish explaining," she continued. "I would have told you that Esme has a private island right outside of Rio. Carlisle bought it for her as a gift. That is where Edward is taking Bella." OooooOOOOooh. "There's too much sun in Italy anyway. You'd be spotted within three seconds."

This stirred a thought. "Don't you find it at all ironic that the leaders of a bunch of sparkling vampires live in such a sunny place?" We both laughed. It was a bit funny. We're supposed to be these big bad monsters, but in the sunlight we look like little girls who had gotten glitter makeup for Christmas.

Rosalie shifted so that she was facing me better, with her legs tucked underneath her. She opened her mouth to say something, but suddenly her eyes flickered behind me and she stopped and grinned. I turned to find Emmett standing in the doorway, his hulking frame leaving no space to pass. He looked completely destroyed. His clothes were bloody and ripped, though I'm sure not with his blood, and he had dirt all over his face. His curly hair was in such a disarray that I was sure Alice would attack him with a brush and hair gel at first sight. He sent me a glare when I burst out laughing.

I didn't know exactly what happened, but it was karma for the Volvo incident.

"Awe, what happened?" Rose was at his side in a moment, straightening up his completely torn apart shirt. No. No, she was caressing his muscles. Man, if I could blush. "Did a bear one-up you?"

"No," Emmett growled, defensive. Like even the thought of a bear one-upping him was absolutely ludicrous. "Jasper and I were hunting when he suddenly snapped and went all ape-shit."

I was on my feet in an instant, my embarrassment over their intimacy completely forgotten. "Jasper attacked you?"

"No!" Emmett wrung his hands together and Rose reached to hold them, trying to calm him a little bit more. "He freaked out on me and sent all the animals some crazy mood mojo and then they were all at me. They all came out of nowhere!"

There was a momentary silence in the room before I was too busy laughing to notice anything else.

"It's not funny! I had squirrels running around in my pants!" That didn't help my laughter at all. I just couldn't get the image of Jasper in a Snow White costume out of my head, singing to make the animals do his bidding. It was absolutely hilarious.

"You're sure in a happy mood, Bree." Rose commented offhandedly. "Babe," she turned to Emmett before I could cause any permanent damage to her husband's ego. "What did you do to set him off?"

"Why do you assume it was something I did?!"

"Babe..."

"I didn't do anything! I only asked if he knew why Bree was upset when after you two disappeared during the wedding reception." I cringed, remembering the events that had occurred during our absence. I had to give Emmett credit though. I thought that only Edward and Carlisle knew we had slipped away. Rose glanced over, having noticed my distaste.

"Where is he now?" She asked her husband, who seemed oblivious to my reaction.

"I don't know. He stormed off into the forest. What a total wuss; hit then run before I could get him back... but I'll get him back." I smiled a bit as Emmett's anger faded and morphed into his usual mischievousness: The red surrounding him fading into its normal orange hue.

"Sure you will," Rose kissed him on the cheek. "But first, you need to get some clothes on. We have a teenage girl around the house." It took me a moment to realize she was talking about me, and I blinked, remembering that he was only half dressed now.

"Oh yeah, sorry Bree" He grinned sheepishly at me. "I'll just go now." He ran off to who-knows-where, probably to formulate his plan to do who-knows-what to get back at Jasper.

Rosalie turned back to me. "You," my new best friend said. "Looks like you need a girl's night." That meant hunting, and I was all for that.

/

By the time Rosalie and I got back, it was early the next morning. She looked gorgeous as per usual, but I had yet to figure out how to avoid animal appendages when feeding. I wasn't used to my prey struggling so much. My shirt was torn down the front side of my left shoulder, leaving a long scrap of fabric hanging down my chest and exposing my clavicle and the slope where the curve of my breast started. My shorts fared relatively well aside from the blood splatter, which I could see if Esme knew how to get out. She probably did. My hair was ridiculous and I didn't even want to think about it. I already knew I was going to go through a lot of conditioner later.

Rose and I loped across the river near the house and it wasn't long until we heard the yelling.

"What do you mean you're leaving?!" I'd recognize that honey voice anywhere. I sped up a little bit to see what was going on.

"It's nothing," Carlisle tried to assure Jasper, who was fuming. The doctor had his hands up sheepishly, but he didn't seem to be backing down from the black cloud that seemed to surround Jasper. A brave man indeed; well, either brave or stupid. "We just figured that since Edward and Bella are traveling on their honeymoon, it was about time that we finally went on a little vacation ourselves." I turned to look at Rosalie, who was running beside me. She shrugged, as if to say, "This is the first I've heard of it."

We were finally within sight of the house, and I nearly tripped over myself. Through the open glass doors, the first thing my eyes were drawn to was a shirtless Jasper. He was wearing pants of course; even as a vampire, I'm sure Esme would have found a way to faint otherwise. Maybe she would have gone into shock. Could vampires go into shock? Jasper's torn Levi's were ripping where the bottoms met between the floor, rubbing between it and a pair of cowboy boots that adorned his feet. I had to admit, that man looked good in jeans.

Did my skin burst into flames? I had to look down to check. Nope, nothing was burning, at least, not visibly. That would've been bad.

Jasper glanced over at Rose and me, probably sensing my embarrassment. His eyes met mine for a millisecond, and my heart fluttered before he stormed off into another part of the house. I trembled a bit at the look in his eyes. He was half crazed, I'm sure, but it wasn't anything I wasn't used to. He had seemed a bit cranky all day, in any case, but especially after the wedding.

"What's going on?" Rosalie asked. She stepped into the house before me, immediately striding up to Carlisle. "Did we miss something big during our lunch break?" Lunch?

"Esme and I have decided to go on a little honeymoon of our own, and Jasper's not taking very well to it." Carlisle ran a lean hand through his long blond hair. "He thinks it's too dangerous to leave Bree here alone."

"But if it's just you two going then I should be fine with Rose and Emmett" I cut in, not mentioning Alice. I didn't like the thought of her being my babysitter, and I didn't see a problem with hanging out with Rose.

"Umm," said woman scratched her head, smiling sheepishly at me, much like her husband had before. "Emmett and I were actually going to leave in a couple days. Technically, we're supposed to be in college."

Oh... I see... "So it would just be..."

"You, Jasper, and Alice. Yes." Carlisle finished for me. "I'm not too worried about it, because Jasper has plenty of experience with newborns and Alice can see the future."

There was a silence in the room. "Should..." I trailed off.

"Hmmm?" Both Carlisle and Esme raised an eyebrow. Whenever I spoke out, it never seemed good for them.

"Should you be relying on her ability so heavily? I mean..." I looked at my feet, digging into the fibers of the carpet. "You've told me so yourself... The future she sees is subjective... which means it could always change... right?" No one answered me, and I looked around, panicking at their lack of response. "What if I make a split second decision? What if an accident happens and no one is close enough to stop me?!" I didn't realize I had been yelling, and I covered my mouth, leaving only one sound left from my outburst; the echo of my voice throughout the hollow house.

"That's not gonna happen,"

"Well look who couldn't stay away," Rose droned at Jasper, who was standing at the top of the stairs. He was still shirtless, and I looked away, embarrassed that that was the first thing I noticed.

"That's not gonna happen," he repeated. Why did I feel like he was staring at me?

"See?" Carlisle quipped. "It'll perfectly fine with Jasper here."

No, it won't. Man I wished Edward was here to read my mind and get me out of this mess. I don't want to be alone with Jasper. I really don't... I think.

"So, if Jasper has decided he's fine with this," Carlisle continued. "Then I believe this discussion is over." he looked over my head, presumably at Jasper, but I didn't hear any sounds of protest, and I couldn't bring myself to speak.

I swallowed as he swept out of the room with his wife, letting out a shaky breath. I turned to Rosalie, letting my thoughts quietly spill from my lips. "Please take me with you."

Rose laughed a sad, melancholic laugh. "I wish I could, but think about all the humans you'd be around."

Her logic was sound. If I attacked a person now, even a pimp or a druggie, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself. Edward was a good influence on me after all, despite his whiny side.

"I don't want to be here alone," with Jasper. I didn't want to be alone here with Jasper. I finally knew what I was feeling, and I knew what it meant. I also, knew that being stuck here with him and Alice, who probably hated me anyway, would only make it worse. That was the downside of being forever stuck in a teenage body.

Apparently, before I arrived, Jasper and Alice had been happily married, but something happened to Jasper in the field that first day, and apparently Alice blamed me for it. Did she see my development of feeling for her husband? Did she see what would happen on that first hunt? I had to stop thinking about it. It always made me feel guilty.

Nope, gonna ignore it. I'm going to go back to avoiding and ignoring it.

"You'll be fine, honey." Rosalie pulled me into her arms. "We'll come back to visit in a couple weeks. Now let's go." she pulled me up the stairs.

I couldn't help but look at Jasper, who seemed to have been staring at me the entire time. "What?"

He stared me straight in my eye and then his own flickered down a moment and back again. "Change your shirt."

If only I was capable of blushing.

/

This wasn't getting any easier. Now that I'd discovered how calming Jasper could be -when Alice wasn't around- it was hard to go around ignoring him all the time.

My training had become the number one priority since everyone departed from the Cullen household nearly two weeks ago. Jasper had made it his goal to turn me into a vampire who could fend for myself. He said I was too reliant on the family and it would be my downfall if I didn't learn to defend myself. I didn't protest after he reminded me of my helplessness at the field that first day. He also became set on getting me out into the world. He could probably feel how antsy I was around the house.

Jasper was considerate when it came to getting me used to humans. He started by bringing in closed medical bags of human blood and leaving them around the house, so I'd become desensitized to them. He then took it up a step by opening a bag and leaving it in a cup on the counter. He had me sit across from it. Despite the fact that it smelt stale, it was still nearly irresistible. When it got too much for me, he'd take it out and dispose of it. Slowly, I was able to stand it longer, until finally, it was only a minor discomfort, and I could actually converse with him.

The next step, he told me, was to see if I could walk down the street in town. He'd be with me, he assured.

Now, however, I stayed very still and tried to keep my breathing even. I was almost afraid to move my eyes. I had been lying across the couch watching an old civil war movie that I had rented via the internet when Jasper suddenly requested to join me. He was very still and seemed to be very careful to keep his distance, despite the fact that we were at opposite ends of the couch and there was no possible way of us touching.

Carefully, I peeked through my eyelashes. He was staring at the television screen intently, his hands behind his head and his legs crossed. His face was smooth, expressionless. It led me to be confused over why he had decided to join me.

While the actors interacted on screen, I lolled on the sofa, being careful not to invade Jaspers space. While doing so, I noticed a look of distaste cross Jaspers face.

"I'm pretty sure vampires don't have body odor..."

His head snapped toward me. "What?"

"You had a look on your face after I stretched," I explained. "I'm pretty sure I don't stink. Unless I have a bad scent..." I paused. I hadn't considered that. What if I had a horrible scent?

Jasper chuckled quietly, an event that didn't happen often. Normally he scowled at me. "It's not you. You actually have pleasant scent, almost like vanilla. I just didn't like this director's interpretation of historical events. The civil war was definitely not that romantic."

I turned my attention back to the screen. "Gone with the Wind is a classic."

"That doesn't make it accurate."

"And you would know?"

"I would know."

"Human or vampire?"

"Human."

"And you remember it?"

"If you think about something enough, it sticks with you."

"What was it like to live then?"

"Hot."

My brow wrinkled. "Hot?"

"I lived in Texas, and we didn't have air conditioning back then."

I laughed. "Could you tell me about it? Your human life I mean."

"Well," He hesitated a little bit. "There aren't too many specifics I remember. When I was human, I lived in Houston. I hadn't quite turned seventeen yet when I joined the confederate army in 1861. I lied to the recruiters; told 'em I was twenty. I was tall enough to get away with it.

"Though it was short lived, my military career was very promising. People had always" he paused, "liked me. They always listened to what I had to say. My father told me I had charisma. Of course, I know now it was probably something more. Whatever the reason, I was promoted through the ranks rather quickly, over much older and more experienced men. By the first battle -well, skirmish, really- of Galveston I was the youngest major in Texas, even without the acknowledgment of my real age.

"During that time I was placed in charge of evacuating the women and children from the city because the Unions mortar boats had reached the harbor.

"We reached the city after dark, and I stayed only long enough to make sure the party was safely situated. As soon as that was finished, I got myself a fresh horse and began to head back to Galveston to check for anyone who had been left behind.

"Just a mile outside the city I found three women on foot. I assumed they were stragglers and at once offered them my aid. However, when I saw their faces in the moonlight" another pause. "I was stunned into silence. They were, without a hint of a doubt, the three most beautiful women I had ever seen before. I knew at once they were not members of our party. I would have remembered seeing them.

"I had always had a god sense of how people related to each other, and it was immediately clear to me that the smaller one, the brunette who was clearly Mexican despite her porcelain skin, was somehow in charge of the other two.

"I soon found out her name was Maria and she was a vampire. I remember her taking a step toward me, and I honestly thought she was going to kiss me." I tensed, but he didn't seem to notice. "That was how I began my new life."

The end credits of the movie rolled on the television set.

I wanted to ask what happened after he was bitten, but I got the feeling he wasn't ready to share that bit of information, so I asked the only other thing I could think of.

"The Confederacy? Really?"

Jasper turned to look at me with an expression that mirrored the incredulity he was suddenly pushing out.

"What?"

He shook his head. "You are the only person who has ever openly asked me about that."

I shrugged. "I guess you do seem a little bit on the southern side, but it's a weird concept. Did you still fight in the war after you were a vampire?" Subtle, Bree. Real subtle…

"I fought in a war of sorts, but that's not a story for now." I figured as much. "It would give you nightmares. Let's just say I didn't have quite the same upbringing as my adoptive sibling. If anything, it was more like the beginning your own." Is that why you've started to treat me different? Because you see a piece of yourself in me?

I was being a teenager and reading too much into it. It wouldn't happen if he didn't act so understanding when I had trouble with anything.

"We don't sleep, Jasper."

"I know."

I became instantly aware of the fact that I had subconsciously moved across the sofa and was now within touching distance of Jasper. I could hear the whistling of the air going in and out of his lungs as he breathed. He seemed to become aware of it at the same time I did. Funny, I didn't think vampires could not realize they were doing something.

Suddenly, Alice was zooming across the room, making her first appearance in days. I felt like she was avoiding me. She had the phone in her hand and was dialing a familiar number. Jasper and I were up in an instant.

"Is everything alright?" He asked.

"Why are you calling Edward?" My words overlapped his.

Alice ignored us both, pacing back and forth across the room until a familiar voice answered on the other end of the connection.

"Hi, Alice." Bella? Why did she answer? I could hear her clear her throat on other end.

"Bella?" Alice sounded confused. Did she not know Bella was going to answer? "Bella, are you okay?"

"Yes. Um, Is Carlisle there?"

"Not at the moment. What's the problem?"

"I'm not... one hundred percent... sure..."

"Is Edward all right?" She didn't wait for an answer. "Why didn't he pick up the phone?"

"I'm not sure."

"Bella, what's going on? I just saw-"

"What did you see?"

Alice didn't answer. "Jasper wants to talk to you." I hadn't even realized he had moved. It seemed like that happened a lot when he was around.

"Bella, its Jasper. Carlisle and Esme are traveling but Alice is calling them right now." He gave said pixie a look and she nodded, running off to another part of the house. "Can you tell me what's going on?"

"I-" Bella hesitated. "I'm a little worried about Edward... Can vampires go into shock?"

Funny, I found myself asking that question all the time.

"Has he been harmed?" Jasper's voice was suddenly urgent and I found myself wandering closer to him, wanting to help in some way.

"No, no" she tried to assure him. "Just... taken by surprise." Why was she hesitating so much? What's there something she didn't want to tell us?

"I don't understand, Bella."

"I think... Well, I think that... Maybe... I might be..." There was a long pause. "Pregnant."

My hand flew to my own stomach, and Jasper looked over at me, mirroring my own confusion.

"How do you feel?" I was unsure if he was asking her or me. Our eyes hadn't strayed from each other.

"Weird," Bella answered him, and I nodded. He could feel how I felt. I just didn't know any of this was possible. "This is going to sound crazy. I mean I know it's way too early for all of this, but I've been having bizarre dreams and eating all the time and crying and throwing up and... And... I swear something moved inside me just now." She sighed with relief suddenly and I was confused until she added, "I think Edward wants to talk to you."

"Put him on," Jasper said in a strained voice.

I didn't want to hear the rest of the conversation so the mouthed to Jasper that I was going to call Rosalie and turned to leave.

I hadn't even taken a step before I was pulled back. Jasper had grabbed my wrist and pulled me to him, wrapping his free arm around me. I was confused. Normally he kept his distance, like he was afraid to touch me. It wasn't long until I understood. I could feel the worry and frustration rolling off him in waves. He was afraid for Bella, and he needed something to ground him or who knows, he might flip his lid. I was touched he wanted me here with him but worried about what it meant to him or worse yet, didn't mean.

"Is it possible?" Edwards's voice floated through the speaker in a whisper.

"I honestly don't know, but logically it seems possible for a male vampire to reproduce. We are frozen in time, and women's bodies have to change to accommodate a child, whereas a male stays the same from puberty until death, so unless you never hit puberty, I'd say it's very well possible."

"And Bella?"

"I really don't know, Edward. I'll have to talk to Carlisle, but I think its best you and Bella come home now."

"Yes. Yes, I will."

The conversation finished and Jasper hung up, pressing the end button to hard, accidentally cracking the phone. He let a breath hiss through his teeth.

From the door to the room, I heard the pixie mumble, "Carlisle is on his way."

/

Jasper was in the other room talking with Carlisle; so quiet, I couldn't hear them. Alice and I sat on the couch, waiting for Rosalie and Emmett to arrive. It had been a couple hours since the conversation with Bella and we were all winding down.

"I don't mind anymore," Alice suddenly said. She hadn't even acknowledged me for the past two weeks, much less spoken to me. To say I was surprised was an understatement. "At first I was furious, and I tried my damnedest to change it from the outcome that I was shown, I've been reminded so many times that the future is subjective, but the more I tried and more solid it became; so, I've decided that I don't mind anymore, because I know everyone will be happy in the end. Well... Now, with Bella's situation, I'm not so sure..."

I blinked, stunned into momentary silence. "What are you talking about?"

She turned, looking me in the eye with a sad smile. "You'll understand when the time comes." She stood up, "Rosalie is coming up the drive. She'll want to talk to you." With that, Alice was gone.

/

"Bree!" Oops, heart attack.

"Emmett!" Rosalie slapped her husband's head. "Don't break her." Too late. I was standing on the front porch when Emmett came up behind me and gave me the tightest bear hug of my life. I'm pretty sure that cracking was my spine.

"I'm fine," That sounded a bit breathy. Maybe it was my lungs he cracked. Huh, are my lungs still squishy or are they hard like my skin?

"Emmett, put her down." Oh! I can feel the ground again! "Are you alright Bree?"

"I'm fine, really." I put my hands up, trying to assure her, even though I wasn't so sure myself.

"Do you know how Bella is doing?" Well that sobered the situation right up.

"I don't know. Carlisle was on the phone with Edward a bit and it didn't sound good."

RING!

Rose took out her phone and I caught a glimpse of the caller ID.

Speak of the devil... Why was he calling Rosalie?

"Hello?"

"Rosalie?" My ears perked. This was interesting. "It's Bella. Please. You have to help me."


	7. Chapter 7

**Alexei: I sent this off to my beta, but i couldnt wait! so... Apparently in the last chapter it said Voltaire instead of Volterra... I fully blame that on auto correct... Lol. If you didn't know, I've been writing this on my iPhone. However I will do my best to make sure there are no more mistakes from now on! Also, I feel like every other chapter Bree is upset about something. She IS a newborn, but I'm thinkin less of that. Oh! and this chapter is extra long to make up for my lack of updating before. Until next time, Enjoy the entry of Jacob!**

/

"Emmett, don't you have a room of your own?"

Emmett was lounging across my whole bed, watching some stupid football game on my new television. His dark curly hair was rubbing all over my pillow and his grimy (well, as grimy as a a nonsweating vampire's could be) hands were all over my universal remote, like he owned it. I owned it. Carlisle may have bought the tv, but I earned the money for the remote.

Now, normally Emmett's behavior wouldn't bother me to the point of violence, especially since he was just keeping me company, but Jasper had been projecting his mood again.

"Get out." I tried to make my voice sound like I wasn't about to punch Emmett in the face.  
>It didn't work. He could hear the miniscule hint of a violent intention that I had let slip from my nearly perfect facade and knew where I was going with this. He jumped onto the floor in a defensive position, his hands coming up in fists near his face. He looked like a boxer.<p>

"Bring it, kid." He laughed a hearty Emmett-like laugh, not bothering to hold the pose. Instead he relaxed back onto the bed, his hands flopping back and weaving through his hair as a makeshift head rest. Obviously he wasn't as serious as I was, so he didn't think I was serious.  
>His eyes shifted back to the television.<p>

I lunged.

His nose made a very satisfying crunching sound when my fist connected. He tried to grab me, but I danced out of the way before he could find a hold. Those lessons with Jasper definitely payed off.

"You broke my nose!" I was glad we weren't human. First of all, I probably would have broke my knuckles, and second, even if I did succeed in injuring him, it would've gotten blood all over my bedspread.

"You agitated a newborn" I stuck my tongue out at him childishly. Well, that certainly was out of character. I needed to escape the suffocating atmosphere of the house, specifically the suffocating atmosphere of Jasper. It was doing weird things to me.

Emmett grunted as his nose healed itself back into place, and then he settled back into my bed like he had been before the whole situation, like nothing had even happened. "You're fast, kid. I'll give you that." He turned his attention back to the fuzzy game once again. Obviously I hadn't done too much damage, whether physically or mentally, and everyone down stairs was probably to busy to notice what had happened anyway.

Since I wasn't distracted by Emmett anymore, I found myself tuning into the drama downstairs. I tried to listen to sounds other than the tense discussion; the squirrels on the ground, the wind in the trees, the cars on the road. It wasn't helping.

"Get out of my room," I grumbled again, knowing full well Emmett wouldn't listen to me. It wasn't like he couldn't hear me. He just didn't like to listen when it wasn't to his benefit. Selective hearing. I decided to follow my own advice instead of pushing the issue. I was too emotionally worn out to bother.

I wretched open my window, careful not to break the sill like I had done so many times before, I jumped out directly into the back yard so that I wouldn't have to see the rest of the family in such a stressful state. Jasper said it wasn't good for me to be around such turbulent emotions because I was so volatile and unpredictable. It wasn't necessarily the nicest way to put it, but I knew he was under a lot of stress, most of it not his own.

Emmett was actually using my room as an escape from the gloom. It was nice of him because not many people were around up here to keep me company anymore.

I ran out into the dense forest for some alone time, my arms crossed.

I wasn't sure what I expected when Bella came back, but it definitely was not this. The normally busy house was eerily silent virtually all of the time. If I didn't know better I'd say it was a big white crypt. Oh, the irony.

Edward was constantly in a half-crazed state, very different from the calm, collected man I had met before. He only ever stared at Bella, with an expression like someone had lit him on fire. He was unresponsive to anyone other than her: he never left her side.

Bella wasn't much better, though in a much different. She was showing the strain in a way that a vampire wasn't capable of. There were deep circles under her eyes, dark circles that jumped out because her face had become so haggard. Her skin was tight, like her cheekbones might break through it. A constant sheen of sweat covered her skin. She looked so fragile, even for a human.

It was scary.

And it wasn't even the worst part.

Her body was swollen, her torso ballooning out in a strange, sick way. The rest of her seemed

thinner, like the bulge had grown out of what it sucked from her.  
>I shook my head. I didn't want to see it again. I didn't want to think about it. Her distorted body, the bones jabbing against the skin of her face. I shuddered.<p>

I sat on the forest floor, ignoring the sounds of the quieting nature that surrounded me. I wasn't scared of her, really. I was more scared for her. She was getting worse everyday. When Edward had first expressed his opposition to the child she carried, I was truly shocked; however, seeing her now, even as an unsettling guilt wormed its way into my conscience, I couldn't help but agree with him. I truly liked Bella, I even felt connected to her, despite my limited-to-nonexistent contact with her. I didn't want to lose that already thin thread of friendship.

I sighed and jumped up, not quite ready but knowing I should probably head back to the house now. Enough time had passed in my absence and everyone had enough to worry about as it was without me going off and disappearing suddenly: if they even noticed I was gone.

I loped across the river, skidding to a stop at the tree line. I saw Edward exit the house with a stranger.

The stranger was the tallest person I had ever seen, aside from Fred. He was extremely handsome for a human, with raven-black hair, russet skin and deep-set twinkling dark brown eyes. He was muscular, almost as big as Emmett, but he was obviously human. He looked like one of the natives from the reservation Jasper had told me about. He had explained that we were not to cross the boundary of their land because their ancestors had made a treaty with Carlisle to keep peace. He promised before to show me where the boundary was, but that was before Bella came home. He was nicer when other people weren't around.

This stranger, who I assumed was from the reservation I had never been to, nor was ever allowed to go to, looked familiar, but I couldn't place him in my mind otherwise.

"I'm not ready for you to kill me yet, Jacob Black." Edward whispered to the human as he paced quickly away from the house. "You'll have to have a little patience."

Jacob? The boy I had seen from the missing poster?

I recognized him now, but that left the unanswered question as to what he was doing here. Did he know our secret like Bella did?

"Patience isn't my specialty," he growled under his breath, and I was taken aback. He sounded like he would attack at any moment. If he knew we were vampires, wouldn't he know that would be useless?

Edward continued walking, maybe a couple hundred yards down the drive way from the house, with Jacob right on his heels. I flitted behind them, keeping hidden in the trees and making not a sound, though I was sure Edward knew I was there. I was curious as to why he hadn't shoo'd me away yet. It seemed like a private conversation. I knew that of course, but I also got the feeling that I would better know what was going on if I listened. I was still frustrated from being left out of the loop. I was sure I had proven myself to be trustworthy to this family, the family I was but wasn't a part of, so I didn't understand why I was still treated like I wasn't to be trusted. I was still an outsider.

Without warning, Edward stopped and pivoted to face the native.

His expression froze me.

For a moment I was reminded that I was still just a kid; just a child, because I knew I would have to live a lot more, suffer a lot more, to ever understand the searing agony in this man's eyes. He carried the face of a man who was burning at the stake.

"It's killing her, right?" Jacob asked. So he knew about Bella's situation as well. He must seen her while he was in the house "She's dying."

I felt a chill run through me.

"Bree." I gasped, turning to find Jasper a couple feet from me. So that was why Edward didn't bother. He knew Jasper was coming to fetch me. "This is not our conversation to overhear." I nodded, looking back at the two before following Jasper, who had started back for the house. I met him on the front porch. He stopped and was staring into the forest. His expression was as hard as rock. No, it was as hard as our skin.

It seemed like I hadn't seen him for days, which was a long time after the two weeks we were never apart. I missed the constant contact. Emmett wasn't quite the same. Jasper spent all of his time near Alice now, who spent all of her time with Bella, who I wasn't allowed to be around for extended periods of time. She may have looked horrid, but she still smelled good, and she was too precious to risk.

"He loves her, doesn't he?" I asked, refurring to warmer of the two down the drive.

Jasper nodded, his golden waves shifting. "We all do."

"But he loves her in a different way than you, or Alice, or Carlisle. He loves her like Edward does. I can see it." I could. He was surrounded with the same misty quality when he talked about Bella that Edward had. Not as thick or as potent, but it was there none the less.

"He does."

"Who is he, Jasper?" My mouth set in a line. I was sure Jasper could read what I was really asking him. I wanted to know what was actually going on. I wanted to know what he and everyone else felt the need to hide from me, despite the fact that they all guaranteed I was as much a part of this coven as any of them. I'd spent the last couple days couped up in my room because I wasn't allowed to be apart of them and I was sick of it. Everyone was kind to me, for the most part, but it was the kindness that you showed a homeless person on the street. Give them a couple dollars and never see them again, except in this case they were stuck with the homeless person. Hypocrites.

"He's a human from the reservation. That's it." Of course that's all it was. That's all it ever was.

Jasper sidestepped. I had thrown one of the deck chairs that graced the front porch for decoration at his head. "Don't lie to me!" I yelled. "There's more to it then that! I know there is! And you know I know there is!" He didn't respond.

I laughed, a desperate sound of anxiety bubbling up my esophagus and spilling through my lips. This stupid man just had to continue drawing out these stupid kinds of reactions in me. It was like before I had met him I had a better sense of self preservation. I hid and tried to not draw any attention to myself. I avoided conflict like the plague. Jasper himself was the one who told me if I stepped outside the line he wouldn't hesitate to kill me. You would think that I'd tread more lightly near him, but no, I reasoned. Where was the action to back up that threat now? All my powers of common sense flew out the window when he was near.

"Why won't you just tell me the truth?" I asked, throwing my hands up in frustration.  
>He didn't even look at me as he answered. "You don't need nor do you deserve to know the truth at this point in time."<p>

Why didn't he just rip my head off? It would have hurt less.

I didn't deserve to know the truth. I didn't deserve to hope anything would ever change about that. I didn't deserve to be apart of the family. Right, Jasper?

I ran. He didn't follow me; probably didn't even watch me go. He had family to worry about.  
>I raced across the lush green terrain of the forest, I didn't know where I was going to go but I just wanted to get away. Several trees were lost to the world in my fit of anger, and I lost track of time. The sky was darkening by the time I fully came to. The clouds covered the sunset completely, and I gladly slipped through the lengthening shadows it created. I avoided the roads as I ran to keep from drawing unwanted attention. Being distraught didn't necessarily make me dumb. At least it didn't when Jasper wasn't around.<p>

I stopped as I reached set of cliffs at the waters edge. I hadn't been here before and it was nice to see some new scenery. The ocean sounded far far away, farther than it appeared to be at least, and the wind blew strongly, whipping my hair across my face. I almost debated jumping into the choppy night waters, just because I could, but instead I sat on the ground and stared up at the sky. I had never been good at swimming and I was sure I'd just sink to the bottom now.

The sun had finally settled behind the blanket of never ending water, and as the wind died down it felt oddly peaceful. I was calming down and thought that Perhaps I had just needed to get away for a while. Being couped up so long does tend to make a person, whether they be human or not, a bit stir-crazy. The clouds had yet to clear up so I couldn't get a good view of the stars that I knew were hiding up there, but the shapes that the evaporated water in the sky took were plenty appealing to look at, and unlike the stars, they were constantly changing so they would never get old. I shifted from leaning on my elbows to full out sprawling on my back.

"Bit cloudy for stargazing."

I was on my feet again in an instant, whipping around to see the intruder. I was too relaxed, I'll admit, to have gotten to the point where I didn't notice an intruder. It hadn't helped that I was upwind either. Scent was not on my side in this situation. The one who had snuck up on me was a male not much older than myself. He almost looked like a younger version of Jacob, but where Jacob could almost be considered a man, he was a boy. A boy with a pulse. Oh crap.

"Stay away," I sputtered, taking several steps back. I was already close enough to the cliffs edge before. I was teetering now.

He completely ignored my warning, well, request really. Instead, he walked foreword, nearly matching my pace and taking back the distance I'd added between me and him. "You won't hurt me," he stated cheerily. What? Was he insane? Of course I would. He was human. I was a vampire. Hurt was bound to happen at some point or another.

I took a deep breath and held it before the light breeze could shift. I could see his blood pumping through the thick pulsing artery in his throat. It caused my own to burn with need. Was this some crazy test designed by nature? It wanted to see if I wouldn't murder this innocent kid? This kid who seemed completely ignorant of the danger I presented.

"My name is Seth, by the way. What's yours?" And I thought I had no sense of self preservation. He didn't even seem weary as he stuck out his hand to shake mine, which stayed by my side. I was proud of myself for holding off so long though. I'd have to thank Jasper later, when I wasn't pissed at him.

It's funny. I found myself answering the boy's question after a moments hesitation. "Bree... My name is Bree."

"Well, Bree," He paused to scratch his head with the hand he had held out. He figured out I wasn't about to shake it anytime soon and didn't push it. "you should probably go home now. You may be new, but even after making an exception this morning, Sam probably won't like you breaking the treaty by being on Quilliute land."

I would've laughed had I not been so scared of killing this boy. Like a mere human could stop me from sitting on the ground and watching the sky where ever I wanted to.

Instead, I found myself asking, "Who's Sam?" Oh, no. I was running low on air and the wind had shifted. I could feel the boy's heat which was killer enough; who knows what his scent would do to me.

"You don't know? He's the pack leader!"

"The pack?" In my confusion, I forgot about not breathing in, and the moment the boy's scent hit me I...

Well, honestly, I nearly threw up.

Alright, that wasn't true. I didn't have anything in my stomach to throw up.

I nearly dry heaved.

Instead, I just gagged.

"Ugh! You stink." He smelled like burnt blood, like his body temperature was too high and it all just boiled inside him. This, in itself wouldn't have been so bad had the stench of wet dog not overpowered it to the point that I almost wanted to jump into the water just so that the sheer strength of the stench wouldn't cling to me.

He just laughed, resting the back of his head in his linked fingers in what seemed to be a very cartoon like pose. "I get that reaction a lot from you guys."

"Wait," I looked around, careful that there was no one else listening. Like there would be other people around at this time of night, but you can never be too careful. "You know about us?"

"Well, duh. I'm one of the wolves," he paused, staring into space. "Though I guess we were never formally introduced."

Wolves?

I was going to kill Jasper. His threats and skill aside, I was going to kill him.

I found myself listening to Seth tell me about the wolves, and the treaty -all of it, not just the "don't go here" part- and Jacob and Bella, and the legends, and the stupid stupid battle and how Jacob had gotten injured, and the more I listened, the angrier I got. Seth was called away by some wolves howling, and told me to go before he phased, so that I would be off the land. I gladly listened. My anger and frustration from earlier had returned and I didn't want to hurt my new friend, though apparently he could hold his own. I would enjoy sparring with him when I was in more control and less uncharacteristically strong.

And not pissed.

Again.

Man, being a newborn sucked.

Pun intended.

I raced back through the forest, tracing the way I had come. The night life teeming withing didn't even have time to hide as I approached. I was eager to get back. So I could kill Jasper.  
>Rationally, I knew that this probably wasn't the best reason to be mad at the family (mostly Jasper) but the fact that they had kept such a... Well, a stupid secret from me was upsetting. I would have been more understanding if they had something crazy like, I don't know, a half human, half vampire baby. But no. They felt I didn't get to know about the friendly neighborhood watchdog? For what reason? So that I would accidentally wander into their land and get ripped to shreds? From what I understood, I was lucky it was Seth who found me. The other wolves weren't nearly as understanding.<p>

I was going to kill Jasper.

The house was silent aside from Bella's even breathing. Of course she had fallen asleep. It was pretty late. Everyone else was quiet as well, but I knew they were there, and they knew I was coming, I'm sure.

I stomped up to the front door and stood there. There was no sound giving away the people hidden inside.

I growled in a low tone at the entryway. "Carlisle, I don't think you want me to break down the door."

The golden nob turned and the wooden slab slowly opened. I stomped through, ignoring Carlisle's attempt at calming me from where he stood; a safe distance away.

Jasper was waiting for me in the center of the living room. All of the furniture had been moved out of the way and stored, probably in a room where it wouldn't likely be destroyed in my horrible newborn rage.

Jasper stood with his arms crossed, but I didn't let that deceive me. "Problem, Bree?"

I hissed. "I. Know. Everything." I crouched, gritting my teeth and flexing my fingers. Jasper may be skilled with newborns, but I still had an advantage.

He didn't directly address my revelation. Instead, he spoke to me in a monotone voice, saying, "I told you not to go on Quilliute land."

"UGH!" I lunged at him. I started for his right, then feinted to the left, then repeated the pattern, managing to tackle the offending man. I clawed and punch at him like I had when I found out he could read emotions. This time, however, he didn't lay dormant like he had before.

I delivered a right punch that, had I been more stable, I would have been proud of, and Jasper took a hold of my wrist and, using my momentum, flung me to the left. We rolled and I ended up pinned to the floor. Jasper, who hadn't let go of my right wrist, grabbed the left and pulled them across my torso, pinning them to the floor near my waist. It was rather uncomfortable because Jasper was straddling me to keep me down, and my embarrassment almost overpowered my anger.

Using the only part of my body that wasn't stuck, I threw my leg up and somehow managed to kick Jasper in the back of the head. He flinched forward and I bashed his forehead against mine and threw him off me. It hurt but it worked. I jumped up on my feet.

Huh, I didn't realize I was that flexible.

Suddenly Jasper was behind me, his arms locked across me. I struggled, but I couldn't get a grip on him because he had my arms pinned.

"You should realize," Oh! Too close to my ear! A shiver was sent down my spine. "I was trained to take down mindless newborns."

I growled. "You should realize," I stepped hard on his foot, feeling the satisfying crunch of his toes breaking. He let go in surprise, something that was uncharacteristic for him. Then again the stunt I pulled was uncharacteristic for a newborn.

I jumped away, facing him and finishing my sentence with a hiss. "I'm not a mindless newborn. I know exactly what I'm doing." I crouched, getting ready to attack again.

"Bree?" My head whipped to find Bella standing at the doorway using it to support herself with Rosalie close behind her, just in case. "What's going on?"

"Nothing." Jasper was on his feet, standing straight and looking cordial. I growled at him for answering a question clearly intended for me, too low for Bella to hear.

"You should go back to bed," I told her. "It's late and you're really weak right now."

"I'm an adult," she replied, raising an eyebrow. "I can handle myself."

"At least sit down," Rosalie chimed from behind her.

Bella rolled her eyes and I smiled slightly. "Fine, but I want to talk to Bree." Jasper took a step between us. "Rosalie will be with us. Go hunt Jasper."

"But-"

"You need to hunt." There was no room to argue in her tone, and I felt a strange pride grow in me for her. She would be a wonderful vampire.

Jasper left, sulking. Not externally, of course, but I could a twinge of it seep through his iron facade.

Bella retreated to the other room, and I followed hesitantly. Rosalie smiled at me in encouragement and I smiled back. I missed her. I could hear the whispers of the other family members around the house. They would be on guard, but it was a relief that no one objected to my being with Bella. I felt like it wasn't real.

Bella sat down on a couch, a couch that had previously been in the other room I might add, and patted the spot next to her. I was weary, so I sat on the armrest farthest from her. She sighed but seemed to understand.

"So tell me what really happened." She said this like she was my therapist. It was weird.  
>"What do you mean?" I didn't want to spill anything I wasn't supposed to, despite wanting to piss off Jasper. Anything to finish what I started. No, that wasn't true anymore. I vented on him and was calming down already. If I didn't know better, I'd say he was influencing my mood.<br>Bella gave me a cut-the-crap look, saying, "Even I heard you yell at him earlier on the porch."

"Oh..." I didn't think about the fact that the others could have probably heard me. "About that..." I paused, looking down. "I guess I just let my mood get the best of me on that. He was just- well, he was hiding something from me, and I knew it, and he knew I knew it, and it just made me so mad." I emphasized my point by mock strangling the air. "He goes from being sweet and understanding to cold and secretive and it drives me insane!"

It was actually really nice to talk. I didn't dare in my other coven and everyone here was always too busy. Of course it probably would have been better to do so before I blew up on Jasper, but he did deserve it. The jerk.

Bella didn't speak for a moment, just looked off into space. "I don't know what he was keeping

from you, though I can imagine it probably had something to do with my furry friends down on the reservation, but I feel like in his own way he felt he was protecting you." I almost interrupted her, but she held up her finger as a sign not to. "You may not understand it, I certainly don't, but Jasper spent his entire early life fighting to survive. He was raised different then anyone here and I know much of the time he feels out of place. I think he sees a bit of himself in you, and he doesn't want you to experience things like he did. Does that make any sense?"

"A bit, but mostly it sounded like mushy, hormonal pregnant woman babble." Eyeing Rosalie, I slid off the arm of the couch and settling onto the spot across from Bella, folding my knees up to my chin.

"True." She laughed, glowing despite her less-than-well appearance. "But I'm not saying to just lay back and let him be a jerk; he's too used to just feeling emotions, but not knowing the exact reasons and thoughts around them. He needs to know why you feel the way you do."

"Bella... That... Is very cliche..."

She laughed. "It is, isn't it?"

There was a pause and I smiled.

Suddenly, I heard the sounds of thumping in the forest, coming closer at an alarming rate. I was on my feet in an instant. "Rose, stay with Bella." I ran to the from of the house, joining the group of three people already gathered there; Edward, Emmett, and Jasper. They were snow white in the pale porch light. Two very large wolves burst through the tree line and I crouched in defense.

"Go, Bree." Jasper didn't look at me as he spoke under his breath.

I refused to answer him but didn't move from my spot. I was not going to be brushed off again.

"Jacob? Seth?" Edward asked. "What's going on?"

Wait, Seth? I studied the two wolves looking for a familiar face. The first was bigger, with russet fur and serious eyes. The second was smaller, like a Mexican wolf with his sandy fur. He looked at me and I immediately knew it was Seth. I didn't know how to react. I almost wanted to wave, but I wasn't sure how he could respond, so I just smiled.

"They want to kill Bella?" Edward snarled flatly.

Emmett and Jasper took his inflectionless question for a statement. They were right next to him in a flash, teeth exposed as they moved on the other two."

"Em, Jazz, not them! The others. The pack is coming." Emmett and Jasper rocked back on their heels; Emmett turned to Edward while Jasper kept his eyes locked on them.

"What's their problem?" Emmett demanded.

"The same one as mine," Edward hissed. "But they have their own plan to handle it. Get the others." There was a pause "Will you be in danger, Seth?"

I took a step foreword. "Danger?"

Edward looked back at me. "He's going to run the perimeter."

"I'll go with him." It slipped out of my mouth before I could hold it back. If there was a danger, I could handle it.

Seth whimpered, and Edward answered for him. "The others would be less likely to challange just him."

I nodded, looking down, but I was still worried.

Seth wheeled and darted into the darkness.

Edward stood facing Jacob in the dark meadow. I could hear Emmett whispering to Carlisle.

Jasper was watching the spot where Seth had vanished into the forest. I hesitantly walked up to his side.

"What's happening?" I asked specifically to Edward. Jasper tensed, knowing I didn't ask him on purpose.

Edward explained in clipped, emotionless sentences. "The pack thinks Bella's become a problem. They foresee potential danger from the... From what she's carrying. They feel it's their duty to remove that danger. Jacob and Seth disbanded from the pack to warn us. The rest are planning on attacking tonight"

Jasper hissed, leaning closer to me and taking up a protective stance. He exchanged a glance with Emmett, and then their eyes ranged across the trees.

"We should take up a defensive position," he said.

Edward nodded. "Let's go inside."

We backed into the house to wait. It was a long and anxious wait, only interrupted twice; the first time to help Bella back up to bed, and the second when a howl broke out in the air. It broke off mid yell, which scared me more.

"It's a false alarm," Edward explained. "Seth was just upset about something else, and he forgot we were listening for a signal. He's very young."

"Nice to have toddlers guarding the fort," Emmett grumbled.

"They've done us a great service tonight, Emmett," Carlisle said. "At great personal sacrifice."

"Yeah, I know. I'm just jealous. Wish I was out there."

"Seth doesn't think Sam will attack now," Edward said mechanically. "Not with us forewarned, and lacking two members of the pack."

"What does Jacob think?" Carlisle asked.

"He's not optimistic."

Oh... Well, we had two extra members on our team now and the future wasn't looking as bleak. Still bleak, but not as bad. I supposed all the was to do now was wait.


	8. Chapter 8

**Alexei: Yay, Happy merry new Christmas year! I actually worked on a chapter! Yay! Trololol. I decided I should stop putting this off and just finish it so I can get to the good stuff so this will be a relatively short chapter... I think... It will basically consist of various snapshots of Bella's pregnancy and how Bree fits in there.**

Bella lay flat on the hospital bed, her belly a mountain under the crisp white sheet. Her skin had a powdery sheen to it that was similar to that of a wax doll, unsaturated and semi transparent. You would think she was already dead, except for her shallow breathing.  
>Everyone was by her side or flitting across the room with fast, fluid movements. Even Jacob was there, hovering near the doorway. It was all creepy to watch. I stood near the far wall, trying to stay out of the way. I was almost temped to leave when I saw Carlisle approach Bella.<br>"What's going on?" She demanded in a scratchy whisper. Her bony hand twitched over her stomach, like she was trying to protect the balloon shaped protrusion.  
>"Jacob had an idea that might help you," Carlisle said. "It won't be pleasant, but..."<br>"It will help the baby," Rose eagerly interrupted. "We've thought of a better way to feed him. Maybe."  
>Bella's eyelids fluttered. Then she coughed out a weak chuckled. "Not pleasant? Gosh, that'll be such a change." She eyed the tube stuck into her arm.<br>I chuckled under my breath at her dark humor.  
>The girl looked like she only had hours, and she was definitely in pain, but she was making jokes. That was so Bella, trying to ease the tension and make it better for everyone else.<br>Edward stepped around Rosalie and Jacob, no humor touching his intense expression. It made me feel a bit guilty. The was suffering the worst out of everyone. He was losing the woman he loved. He reached out and took Bella's hand, the one that was free from protecting her swollen belly.  
>"Bella, love, we are going to ask you to do something monstrous." He whispered. "Repulsive."<br>What were they going to do, have her drink blood? It didn't sound so bad to me, but I probably wouldn't have had the same opinion when I was human.  
>Bella took a shallow, fluttery breath. "How bad?"<br>Carlisle answered. "We think the fetus might have an appetite closer to ours than yours. We think it's thirsty."  
>She blinked. "Oh. OH."<br>Called it.  
>"Your condition, both of your conditions, are deteriorating rapidly. We don't have time to waste, to come up with a more palatable way to do this..." He trailed off.<br>"I have to drink it." She confirmed. "I can do that. Practice for the future right?" Her colorless lips stretched into a faint grin as she looked at Edward. He didn't smile back. "Well," she continued after he didn't respond. "I'm starving, so ill bet he is too." Trying to make another joke.  
>"Let's go for it. My first vampire act."<br>There was no way I was staying here for this. I slipped out of the room silently.

"Seth!" I waved at my Wolf friend from my spot on the front porch. He was coming across from the tree line wearing the clothes that Esme had layed out for him. She had done similarly for both Jacob and now Leah.  
>"Hey, Bree." He grinned at me, jogging up and wrapping me in a warm hug. This was a greeting of ours that had developed over the span of time he'd spent here, more due to his affectionate nature (like a puppy) than my personal interest. He was like a sauna, or my own personal heater. It was nice, definitly better than the cold shoulder that I got from Jasper all the time. He let go, leaning on the white porch railing. "So... Despite the fact that I love hanging out with you, I actually came here to find Jacob, but I do have a serious question for you."<br>I swallowed awkwardly. Seth was relatively good looking, for a human, and I had once or twice entertained the idea of him and I together, not too seriously of course, but I still didn't want him finding out about it, or asking. "What is it?"  
>"Got any food for me?"<br>I breathed an internal sigh of relief. Thank god for his bottomless pit of a stomach. "Of course we do," I grabbed his wrist, slipping into the house with him in tow. Being near him wasn't an issue like it would have been with another human, say, someone like Bella. His scent made him about as appealing as a plate of French fries. I used to love fries.  
>"Ow,"<br>I cringed when I heard him breath out an exclamation of pain. I quickly let go of his appendage, flinching away. "I'm sorry."  
>"It's fine." Seth rubbed his wrist gingerly. "Nothing is broken."<br>"Yeah, but..." I trailed off. "Jasper says I have to work on subconscious control." I said as a way of explanation. "I do really well when I think about it."  
>"It's fine Bree." He repeated, smiling reassuringly. "I'm a werewolf, I can handle anything."<br>We both laughed.  
>"Bree?" I glanced up at Esme's voice. She was standing at the threshold between the living room and the hall where Seth and I stood.<br>"Yes?"  
>"Does Seth want me to make him up some breakfast? We have plent of food." Like you didn't hear everything we just said.<br>I gave Seth a sideways glance and he nodded his head eagerly. Esme flew across the hall into the kitchen and he and I migrated to the living room area where Bella was sitting up in the middle of the sofa. Rose was at her feet, with her head on Bella's knees. She smiled at me when our eyes met. I missed her, but Seth filled that void pretty well. Edward was on one side of Bella, holding her hand, and Alice was on the floor along with Rosalie.  
>Jasper was no where in sight, like usual. He was off with Emmett and Carlisle trying to decipher ancient stories and myths that would help the family understand the pregnancy. So far all we had gotten was that in order to escape the womb, the babies used their teeth. That, and no other mother had ever survived the birth. I shivered at the thought.<br>Seth and I plopped down on the other side of Bella with him as a wall between us, which was smart of him. His strong scent blocked Bella's much weaker (in comparison) one. His arm reached over my shoulders and rested on the back if the couch behind me. Before long Esme had delivered a large tray of human food to my dog smelling companion. It smelled absolutely horrible to me, but Seth seemed content with it. He ate while everyone else sat in companionable silence. It didn't last long however, because soon another person entered the house and Seth crowed, "Hey, Jake's coming around!"

"You smell like dog."  
>"I really don't see how it's any of your business."<br>"You shouldn't get so close to Seth. I don't think you realize how dangerous those creatures are! They could kill you."  
>"Like you couldn't?!" Silence. "Those 'creatures'... They are the only reason Bella is still alive right now... Seth is the only reason I'm still here right now, the only reason I'm still sane... But it's not like you've been around to notice..."<br>"You're endangering the family, Bree-"  
>"No, Jasper, I'm not endangering anyone, so you have no right to be worrying yourself with my business... Just get out"<p>

Rosalie had gone over to Bella to help her to the bathroom when it finally happened.  
>"Can I walk?" Bella asked. "My legs are so stiff."<br>"Are you sure?" Edward asked.  
>"Rose will catch me if I trip over my feet, which could easily happen, since I can't see them."<br>Rosalie set Bella carefully on her feet, keeping her hands on her shoulders. Bella stretched her arms out in front of her, wincing a little.  
>"That feels good," she sighed. "But I'm huge."<br>"Your stomach is its own continent," I chimed in.  
>She smiled at me then looked down and patted her swollen belly. "One more day." Her elbow accidentally knocked the cup she had left on the sofa, spilling dark red blood onto the pale fabric. "Oh, no!" Automatically, though several other hands beat her there, she bent over, reaching out to catch it.<br>A sickening, muffled ripping sound could be heard from the center of her body. She went totally limp, slumping toward the floor. Rosalie caught her in the same instant, before she could fall. Edward was there too, hands out, the mess on the sofa forgotten.  
>She screamed then, a bloodcurdling shriek of agony. The sound cut off with a gurgle, and her eyes rolled back into her head. Her body twitched, arched in Rosalie's arms, and then Bella vomited a fountain of blood.<br>I flew back into the wall, trying to get as far away from the appealing smell as possible. I could feel myself shaking as Bella's body, streaming with red, started to twitch again.  
>I covered my mouth, shocked at the sudden change in scene. I was torn between worrying for her life and wanting to drain her dry.<br>There was only one other thought that crossed my mind.  
>"Jasper..." I whispered.<br>He was there in an instant, pulling me away from the scene as Rosalie whipped Bella's body into her arms, barking orders as she and Edward shot up the staircase to the second floor.  
>That was the last thing I saw before Jasper pulled me onto the front porch. I didn't realize how badly I was shaking until he put his hands on the sides of my head and looked me in the eyes.<br>"It's all right Bree. You did fantastically in there and everything is getting taken care of."  
>"But Bella-"<br>"Shhhh." He pulled me into a tight embrace. He was shaking to. Did he need me right now as much as I needed him? "Bella is going to be fine." It sounded like a lie, but he was here.  
>Right when I needed him to be.<br>I buried my head in his chest, trying to ignore the sounds coming from the second story of the house.

From upstairs, there was a new sound.  
>A frantic pounding, a racing beat...<br>A changing heart.

**Alexei: whoo, I actually wasn't originally going to add that Bree/Jasper argument but I wanted to make it clear that despite the fact that he's not near, he keeps tabs on her, and he definitely is not ok with her hanging out with Seth. I hope their relationship doesn't seem rushed... Sometimes I feel like it does so I have them fight, but there's only so many times that can happen, you know.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Alexei: I started this as soon as I posted the last chapter. Now, let's see when this one gets posted... I actually just realized how many reviews this story has gotten and it absolutely made my day. I have a couple one shot ideas for the couple but I'd feel bad working on them and not this so... Maybe, lol.**

**Also, I worry that this story gets too serious at times but I don't want the little bits of humor I add to sound too forced. If anyone has any Ideas for some fluffy, but not out of character, scenes do pm me or something.**

**Also, I experienced my first earthquake (supposedly a 7.7) at exactly midnight, on a Saturday morning... It. Was. Terrifying**.

She was too still; no human could be that still. Then again, she wasn't really human anymore, was she? I could actually see her changing. It was like a slow cross fade in a really cheesy movie. Not that she looked cheesy or anything. Slowly, her features were adjusting to vampiric perfection.  
>Edward was by her side, watching over his wife with a strained, worried expression settled into his boyish features. He was worried that he had been too late, we all knew that. The rest of the family and I stood over by the entrance to the open room, sans Rosalie, watching and waiting for her to come out of the flames she silently resided in. I remembered the burning, and I most definitely was not quiet, let alone silent, throughout my change. It wasn't a pleasant memory.<p>

The pain was horrendous and a particular memory that stuck with me was getting pulled into an endless black void that would cut out whole seconds of the agony, making it harder to keep up with the reality of what had happened to me.

"You want a burger?"

Bella' fingers twitched, as if she too had caught a glimpse of my memory. The room was silent, aside from the jack hammering of her heart, as we all stopped breathing for a moment in response to her broken facade.

Edward's hand squeezed her wayward fingers. "Bella? Bella, love?"

Like she could answer you without screaming? Idiot.

Her heart suddenly took off, beating like helicopter blades, the sound becoming almost like a single sustained note, even though my vampiric hearing could pick out each individual beat. Her back arched, bowing as if the fire that was surely consuming her was dragging her upward by her heart.

No other part of her body moved as her torso slumped back down on to the table, and her heart galloped toward its final beats. At one point, There was a deep, hollow sounding thud. Her heart stuttered twice afterward and then thudded quietly one last time.

There was not a single sound. No breathing. Not even hers.

She opened her eyes.

She gasped in wonder, the air whistling down her throat, despite the fact that she didn't technically need it to.

Edward, who had still been holding her frozen hand, squeezed it.

Suddenly, air hissed up her throat, spitting through her clenched teeth in a low, menacing growl that hummed quietly, but effectively, like a swarm of hornets in the distance. She flipped off of the metal table and crouched against the far wall defensively. Newborn instinct. I remembered that too.  
>I understood her reaction, but ironically, her eyes shocked me. They were a deep, blood red color, the same color that had once laced its way through my own irises. I suppose I had become accustomed to the gold eyes that surrounded me everyday and just wasn't used to seeing the untame ruby pools anymore. Logically, I didn't think her eyes would be the same golden as everyone else's, but I never even considered red as an option. I needed to think more, obviously.<p>

I flinched back in surprise at her sudden battle stance, quite honestly in fear because it reminded of my previous life. I was fully prepared to bolt out of the area, but I my frantic train of thought stopped as I felt a thumb trace circles on my spine comfortingly. A strong hand rested firmly on my back and held me there, reminding me that she needed the same support I had needed. She was as new to this life as I had recently been, though I didn't start out with the same support system as her. My rock was reminding me to be a rock for her. Or maybe I was reading too much into it and he just didn't want anyone to freak her out because it meant more work for him. Either explanation could work with this guy.

Jasper continued rubbing circles in my back as he held his stance in front of everyone. I was the only person who wasn't behind him but that was because both Emmett and Carlisle were in front of me. The men were protective of their family, even though they loved Bella, they weren't risking it.

Bella's attention was drawn to us from my minuscule movement and her now perfect nostrils flared, searching for a nonexistent threat among us. That was the reason why I wasn't allowed to move, so that Bella wouldn't freak out.

Newborns. Ugh.

It's nice to be able to say that and it not apply to me. Even though I was still technically a newborn, I wasn't a new-newborn, not like Bella was anyway.

Alice stood near me, grinning at Bella like there was no possible issue with that. Her grin seemed to reassure Bella and the muscles oin her back relaxed slightly, though she still seemed tense. Realizing we were not her to harm her, she focused only on Edward. She straightened out of her crouch, and he moved slowly around the table toward her, His hand outstretched. She watched him, seemingly absorbed with his movements.

"Bella?" He asked in a low, calming tone, but the worry in his voice layered her name with tension. "Bella, love? I'm sorry, I know it's disorienting, but you're all right. Everything is fine."

She didn't respond, and Edward reached out tentatively, stroking his fingertips across her cheek. The act seemed strangely intimate to me and I felt awkward standing there watching.

His hand curled to the shape of her face and before I could comprehend it, she threw her arms around him, pressing her face into his chest.

Edward cringed, shifting his weight uncomfortably, which I thought was weird. Why would he do that to the woman he loved? Unless HER scent was bad... Not that I could tell... Edward leaned away from her embrace, and she stared up at him, looking confused and rejected.

"I'm... Carefully, Bella. Ow."

I understood now. She was too strong.

She yanked her arms away, folding them behind her back and I had to fight a small chuckle at her sheepish expression.

"Oops" she mouthed.

"Don't panic, love," he assured her, lifting his fingers to graze her lips, which were parted in horror. "You're just a bit stronger than I am at the moment." Hmmm, I wonder if my strength could still match hers? I might already be too old.

I all but forgot my train of thought as Edward stocked Bella's cheek again. It was embarrassing to be watching and I didn't understand how the rest of the family could do it so easily.

Oh yeah, no secrets in this place with the psychic trio around.

Seeming to be extremely careful about it, Bella slowly brought her right arm out from behind her back and raised her own hand to touch his cheek. She stared into his eyes and we all heard her voice for the first time.

"I love you"

It sounded like she was singing, her voice ringing like a bell. How appropriate that Bella should sound like a bell.

"As I love you," Edward answered.

He took her face between his hands and leaned his face to hers. He kissed her, soft as a whisper at first, and then suddenly stronger, fiercer.

That was just something I couldn't watch. I tilted my head down, feeling thoroughly awkward, and I stared at Jasper's freshly shined cowboy boots. Out of my peripheral vision I could see him glance at me, silently chuckling. His hand, which was still on my back, squeezed, physically conveying the tiny bit of humor he let slip from his bank of emotions.

Emmett cleared his throat, joking and annoyed at the same time. There were two steps, presumably the couple moving away from each other, and Edward chuckled in response.

"You've been holding out on me," Bella suddenly accused in her singing voice. I glanced up to find that they hadn't separated. It looked like she had taken a step back but Edward had matched it.

Sleaze, I thought jokingly, and Edward glanced over at me, chuckling. Bella noticed and narrowed her eyes.

To his wife, he replied,"it was sort of necessary at the time. Now it's your turn to not break me."

She frowned while she considered this.

She certainly didn't have much time to consider, though she didn't with her new vampire brain cells. Carlisle stepped around Emmett and walked toward the newlyweds swiftly. Jasper left my side to shadow his footsteps and I would've followed had it not been for his warning glance and Emmett blocking me. Either one by itself and I most definitely would have followed the "emotional manipulator."

Jasper and I hadn't been away from each other since shortly after Renesme had been born, mostly because I followed him around like a lost puppy; not my best behavior I'll admit, but he humored me anyway. He had let me in that night that Bella gave birth, and I was afraid that he would suddenly shut me out again if given the chance.

"How do you feel?" Carlisle asked Bella.

"Overwhelmed," she immediately answered. "There's so much..."  
>I smiled at that.<p>

"Yes, it can be quite confusing."

She nodded one fast, jerky bob. "But I feel like me. Sort of. I didn't expect that."

Edward's arms squeezed lightly around her waist. "I told you so," he whispered.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Bella," Carlisle suddenly apologized. "Your thirst must be very uncomfortable."

Idiot, I thought. She wouldn't have noticed if you hadn't said anything.  
>Bella's hand flew up to her throat, like she could smother the burning from the outside. Edward dropped his arms and took her other had, tugging gently. "Let's hunt, Bella."<p>

"Wait, wait, wait," Alice suddenly trilled near my ear. "You promised I could be there the first time! What if you two run past something reflective?"

"Alice," Edward protested.

"It will only take a second! Bree come with me!" And with that, Alice grabbed my wrist and pulled me from the room.

"Why do you need me," I whispered as we entered Rosalie's room.

"Because, this mirror is too wide for me to carry by myself through the door." She pointed to said mirror. It was pretty huge. "I can't carry it from the bottom because It wouldn't fit under the door frame, and I am not doin the limbo."

We each grabbed a side and carried it quickly to the room where Everyone was. We arrived as Bella was asking Edward what Alice was talking about.  
>Bella stared at me with an slightly open mouth. she probably wasn't expecting to see me here. I smiled at her in greeting, but she didnt respond. We set the mirror in front of her and I took a step away, putting a safe, but not large distance between her and myself. I felt more than saw Jasper come over and shadow me.<p>

Bella noticed him as well and I almost hissed as she half crouched at the sight of his many scars, defensive. Jasper both saw and felt Bella's and my assessment and smiled wryly.

Alice spoke to Bella and Edward but I was only aware of their interaction in the lesser part of my concentration. I had become distracted as Jasper sauntered closer; close enough for him to whisper in my ear and have no one else overhear his words.

"Go back with Emmett," he murmured. "It's safer there."

I internally rolled my eyes. I was not going to cower behind Emmett along with Esme. Out of everyone in this house I was closest to matching Bella's strength. "I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, Jasper."

"Bree-"

"No." It's not like he could drag me back with everyone around. Carlisle would have a field day with him.

Realizing the same thing, Jasper chose to step in front of me; a barrier between Bella and I. I peeked around and saw Alice smiling sadly at me and suddenly I felt bad. He should have been protecting her, not me, like he had on the field that fateful day.

"Months?" Bella's stressed voice broke through to my attention.

Jasper pulled me farther behind him, alarmed by the intensity of her sudden anxiety.

"I'm fine," Bella tried to assure everyone. "It's just... A lot to take in."

"Jasper's brow furrowed, highlighting the two scars over his left eye.

"I don't know," Edward murmured.

Bella frowned. "What question did I miss?"

He grinned. "Jasper wonders how you're doing it."

"Doing what?"

"Controlling your emotions, Bella," Jasper answered. "I've never seen a newborn be able to stop an emotion in its track that way." I frowned guiltily. Edward noticed and smiled at me in mocking reassurance. I almost stuck my tongue out at him. "You were upset, but when you saw our concern, you reigned it in, regained power over yourself. I was prepared to help," Did he just move closer to me? "But you didn't need it."

"Is that wrong?" Her body froze.

"No," he said, but his voice was unsure.

Edward stroked his hand down her arm, as if encouraging her to thaw. "It's very impressive, Bella, but we don't understand it. We don't know how long it can hold-"

"But what do you think?" Alice interrupted, drawing Bella's attention back to her reflection in the mirror. She didn't really look much different to me, it was just like she has been airbrushed in a magazine. Her chest was bigger though.

Edward sent me a look and I shrugged. I was just pointing out the obvious. I was pretty sure everyone else noticed as well.

Edward shook his head at my thoughts, sighing.

Bella turned to him, raising an eyebrow. "Disappointed?" She asked In an impassive voice.

He laughed and admitted, "Yes."

Shock broke through the composed mask on her face, followed almost instantaneously by hurt.

I hissed under my breath while Alice snarled, and Jasper leaned forward again, waiting to see if she would snap.

Edward ignored us completely, wrapping his arms around her and pressing his lips against her cheek. "I was rather hoping that I'd be able to hear your mind, now that it was more similar to my own," he murmured, just barely loud enough for me to hear. "And here I am, as frustrated as ever, wondering what could possibly be going on inside your head,"

She seemed to feel better at once, but Edward pulled his head away at once and sighed. "All right, all right."

"What?" Bella asked.

"You're making Jasper more edgy by the second. He may relax a little when you've hunted."

She looked at his tense position then made eye contact with me, seeming to have sort of realization. She nodded. "Okay. Let's hunt." She unwrapped Edward's arms from around her, keeping one of his hands, and mentally prepared herself to hunt.

Renesmee. The warm blooded, half-human, half-vampire daughter of Bella and Edward. She had a tiny little heart that beat like a hummingbird, faster than an average human's. her temperature was especially warm as well, and she slept, well, like a baby.

The only parents in the world who don't sleep and their child already slept through the night.

She had Bella's eye color, her human eye color, and Edward's bronze colored hair that spiraled in ringlets out of her head; a piece of her grandfather that graced her genes. Her skin seemed as impenetrable as ours, but no one would dream of testing that. She can survive off of either diet, but prefers to drink blood. And she can communicated, man can she communicate, but not verbally.

All in all, every one of us was wrapped around her tiny finger. I personally viewed her as a little sister and played with her often, though not as often as Jacob.

"I can't believe you're doing this." I sighed.

"It's for her protection," Jacob insisted.

"We all want to protect her, you idiot, but Bella is her mother, I highly doubt she's gonna go into a frenzy and devour her own daughter." To say Jacob and I didn't hit it off was an understatement. He annoyed the hell out of me with his overprotectiveness and I'd butted heads with him several times over the course of Bella's transformation. Rose was easier to deal with if I wanted to see Renesmee.

"You can't be too careful," Jacob grumbled.

"No, YOU can't be too careful," I hissed at him. Where was Seth when I needed him.

Suddenly, we all heard Bella and Edward vaulting over the river, and Jacob went out to meet them.

Bella and Edward entered the back of the house, holding tightly on to each others hands. We waited for them in a line that was both welcoming and defensive. Rose was several paces behind the rest of us, near the front door. She was alone with Renesmee until Jacob joined her. Though they were close to each other physically, we all knew they were uncomfortable with the proximity.

Renesmee leaned forward from Rose's arms and she immediately caught Bella's attention.

"I was out just two days?" She gasped. I briefly wondered if my reaction to Bella the first time had looked similar. She took a hesitant step toward her daughter.

Emmett and Jasper were right in front of her, shoulder to shoulder, hands ready. Edward gripped her from behind, fingers tight against the tips of her arms. Even I took a step foreword. Esme and Carlisle flanked Emmett and Jasper while Rosalie backed toward the door and Jacob took up a protective stance in front of them.

Alice was the only one who held her place.

"Give her some credit," she chided. "She wasn't going to do anything. You'd want a closer look too."

Alice was right.

"I'm okay," Bella promised.

"But the risk-" Jasper was interrupted by Edward.

"Minimal. On the hunt, she caught the scent of some hikers who her in the wrong place at the wrong time-"

"Edward!" Carlisle chastised. "How could you be so irresponsible?"

"She only started to hunt the humans, but when she heard me behind her, she reacted defensively, then held her breath and ran away."

My eyebrows furrowed in frustration as everyone reacted like it was the most amazing feat in the world. It wasn't like I had don't it only months earlier. A pang of jealousy hit me.

I saw Jasper glance at me and fought the urge to stick out my tongue. That would have been childish.

"It's not natural," he muttered, and I narrowed my eyes.

"Jasper, she's fine. If you can trust a newborn like me around a half human child, you can trust a mother around her daughter." I grit my teeth, shocking even myself by arguing with him openly. Bella's red eyes rested on me, surprised.

However, Jasper's teeth were set; he didn't move.

An unlikely ally joined my side after a moment of tense silence.

"Jazz, this isn't anything you've seen before," Alice said quietly. "Trust us."

Their eyes met for a short second and then he nodded, he moved out of Bella's way but put his hand on her shoulder.

I automatically took a step foreword then stopped myself. Everyone was looking at me curiously, silently asking what was wrong. I couldn't very well tell then that I didn't want Jasper touching her. As soon as he had, my heart had gripped with fear for him. Of course, rationally I knew he could take care of himself if Bella flipped. His scars were proof of that, but it didn't change my irrational reaction.

See why I couldn't tell anyone?

Edward probably already knew, no he definitely knew. I silently begged him to not say anything.

Luckily, Renesmee let out a high, ringing wail, distracting everyone. They were all surrounding her in a second, sans Bella and I.

"What's the matter? Is she hurt? What happened?" Jacobs voice rose anxiously above everyone else's. Idiot wolf; let Bella at least meet her daughter before she figures out what's up and kills you.

He took Renesmee as Rosalie reassured him, "She's fine. She just wants Bella."

On que, Bella was only a few feet from her daughter. "Jake, I'm fine," she assured Jacob as she noticed him trembling as he handed Renesmee to her, never letting go of his little imprint. Dumb dog.

Edward gave me a look, and I shrugged, directing my thoughts at him. Like you're not wanting to see Bella tear him to pieces as soon as she finds out.  
>He rolled his eyes and mouthed behind Bella so that she wouldn't see our conversation, not around my daughter.<p>

I was not the only one that stood away from the group, and it bothered me a bit. It was just another one of those tiny things that reminded me I wasn't quite apart of the family.

I dwelled on this for a bit before my attention was brought back to the family.

Finally, I thought as I heard Bella gasp, "no!"

Jasper's teeth came back together and Edward wrapped his arms around her chest like constricting boas. Jacob had Renesmee out of her arms in the same second. We all felt it coming; the snap we had all been waiting for.

Bella had Jacob, who handed Renesmee off to Rose, outside in a second. We all followed, except for Rose and her charge.

"How dare you imprint on my baby?!" She hissed as he backed up into the woods.

"It was involuntary!" He insisted

"You are going to stay away from her," she growled.

"I can't do that!"

Through her teeth she threatened. "try. Starting now. Run away while you can."

"C'mon, Bells! Nessie likes me too!"

She froze, as did the rest of us."

"What... Did you just call my daughter?"

Jacob took a step farther back, managing to look sheepish. "Well," he mumbled, "that name you came up with is kind of a mouthful and I-"

"You nicknames my daughter after the Loch Ness Monster!?" Bella screeched. I swear the air around her turned black.

She lunged for his throat at the same time I yelled in a panic, "Seth!"

**Alexei: so, I officially have a spot in the story where Bree and Jasper finally get over themselves, so no worries. I also have Alice's mate in mind and am really excited about it. This chapter iiiiis a little bit longer to make up for last chapters shortness but I still had to cut out a lot from the scenes so I worry about them sounding awkward, as per usual.**


	10. Chapter 10

** Alexei: What?! 100 reviews?! For the first time on any of my fics ever?! And for THIS coupling?! You cannot even imagine the glee I am experiencing right now. I remember when this started out as just a tiny little thing with only a couple reviews because who would have even considered Bree and Jasper together? Alexei is in absolute HEAVEN!**

** This also officially makes this fic the most popular of all the BreeXJasper ones by more than 4 times! Yup. I am absolutely ecstatic. I'm just gonna giggle now.**

** On a final note, I finally got a new laptop, so I've transfered all of my files off of google drive onto my laptop, so now typing up things will be much much faster.**

"I'm so sorry, I should have been closer." Edward was STILL apologizing for this afternoon. I rolled my eyes.

"Bree, I-"

I cut Bella off before she could continue with her attempted apology. "It's not your fault Bella." She didn't look convinced. "I was no where near as controlled as you have been, and today I just made a stupid move by getting in your way."

We were all gathered in the living room. I sat on the larger of the two couches in the room. Jasper was on my right side, hovering but not saying anything. Seth was on my otherside, holding my torn arm up to my shoulder so that they could connect themselves again.

Earlier, Bella had attempted to lunge as Jacob, which I couldn't have cared less about. He deserved it. Probably. But I was thrown off when Seth jumped un front of his Alpha to protect him. I, panicking for the life of one of my closest friends here, jumped Bella from behind. I was lucky to even reach her, but it meant I was faster than her. I suppose it also meant I could outrun her in case of an emergency. Unfortunately, she was stronger than me, and in an effort to get me off her back, she pulled my arm off. Ironically, it was the same arm that Jen had ripped off back in my old coven, so not much new scarring should appear.

Bella snapped out of whatever little trance she had been in then, freaking out about that fact that she had hurt me and apologizing profusely. I told her it was fine, and aside from being peaved about the new scars, it was. I understood that I had made a dumb move, and she instinctually retaliated.

Jasper, however, was not as forgiving.

He hasn't said anything out loud since then, but I could just tell he was seething with anger. It was almost like it began to physically gathered around him. He stayed stock still the entire time in the house, except for when he narrowed his eyes, which occured any time Bella made even the tiniest, most harmless move. If I didn't know better, I'd almost have to worry about getting _her_ away from _him_. Hell, even knowing better I was still worried.

Seth, suddenly shifted beside me, jostling my still dangling arm, and I winced. I put a hand on Jaspers knee when he growled, almost like I was holding him back from tearing my friend apart. His reactions we really starting to put me on edge. I didn't know whether or not to take him aside and shake some sense into him, or if I should run and hide so I wasn't in his path if he suddenly snapped. Seth didn't seem to notice his demeener. Edward was obviously worried about it, but Bella ignored him as much as she could.

"Sorry, sorry!" she mumbled, knowing she probably wouldn't be able to get a fully articulated apology past us without argument.

"Don't freak, Bella," Seth said, patting my own knee with his free hand. I felt Jasper tense underneath my palm. "Bree's a vampire, she'll use her freaky mumbo magic and glue herself back together again."

"Hey!" I whined, mumbling out an argument. "It's not magic, Seth." He had no aversion to sitting beside me on the couch. Actually, it seemed like he liked to be near me. I wasn't sure how I felt about that, especially with Jasper so close by.

"Yeah, but you're already almost back to normal!"

"So?!"

"At least she didn't bite you." Seth raised an eyebrow. It was true. Venom stung like a bitch.

"Or you..." I said, nonchalantely. Even if it hurt me, it would have hurt him more. Venom was like poison to the wolves, so in the end I was glad I was the one to take a brunt of the force. It probably would have taken him nearly an hour to heal, where as with myself, it only took around ten minutes.

Bella, buried her face in her hands and shuddered. "I'm a bad person," She moaned.

"Of course you aren't. I should have-" Edward started.

"Stop that," she sighed.

"Lucky thing Renesmee's not venomous," Seth pondered aloud. "'Cause she bites Jake all the time."

Bella's hands dropped. "She does?"

"Sure, whenever he and Rose don't get dinner in her mouth fast enough."

"It's really hilarious," I threw in.

She stared at us, shocked, but she also seemed a bit pleased to me as well.

Seth suddenlt yawned hugely. Careful, so as not to tweak my mostly healed shoulder, he leaned his head on me and closed his eyes. Literally seconds later, before I could completely comprehend what he was doing, his mouth was slack. I frowned at his peaceful, sleeping face for a moment. He seemed to have a knack for falling asleep at will.

Bella sensed that the conversation was over, so she stood from the loveseat she sat in and walked to the back windows, with Edward following her.

Other than the squabbling I heard from Jacob and Rose over Nessie, and Leah's annoying panting from outside, it was very quiet. Even Seth's breathing was near silent. Emmett, Alice, Carlise, and Esme were all out hunting, and Jasper was sitting by my side. Speaking of the devil.

"Jasper, what is your problem?" I murmured quietly so that I wouldn't wake Seth or alert Bella to our conversation. She didn't need the stress of dealing with a moody empath.

He didn't answer me, just clentched his teeth and stared at Bella.

"Jasper..." I realized he wasn't going to answer, so I carefully shifted Seth over so that he was leaning fully on the couch, and I was prepared to get up, but Jasper grabbed my wrist, stopping me.

"I don't understand it," He mumbled, almost guiltily. "but I can't bear this." He was up then, striding out of the back door. Leah moved to give him a wide margin of space as he paced to the river, then launched himself over in one bound.

What was wrong with him?

"He'll be back," Edward said, drawing my gaze away from the spot that Jasper had disappeared at. At first I was unsure whether or not he was speaking to me, but he was staring straight at me, and Bella was busy with Renesmee in her arms, though she was likely keeping an ear on our conversation. "He just needs a moment alone to readjust his perspective on life." There was a grin threatening to take over the corners of Edward's mouth as he elaborated in his little I-know-something-you-don't kind of way.

"Is he mad at me?" I asked. I was positive he was angry: that was something I was absolutely sure of.

"Not necessarily," My eyebrow hitched itself up at that.

"What's up with him, then?"

"He's upset with himself, not you, Bree. He's worrying about..." Edward trailed off, obviously deciding against revealing a key piece of information to me about the coyboy in question.

I narrowed my eyes at the mindreader. _What is he worrying about, Edward?_

_ "_It's for the better, trust me. You're just making him question a lot of his many deep-rooted assumptions." His sentence seemed too abrubpt, like there was supposed to be an "about" afterward.

_What are you hiding from me, Cullen?_

He ignored me, instead choosing to greet Carlisle and the others as they entered the property lines. Soon, he would be taking his wife to their new cottage for the night with Renesmee. I had missed my chance to interrogate him.

I was laying in bed, blasting my music at full volume to drown out the outside world. It was nearly two in the morning, and the moon shone through my large window, illuminating everything in a bluish glow. I had the overhead light off as well as the small lamp on my desk, it wasn't like I needed them to see, and I stretched on my freshly made bed. I was the only on in the house that kept a bed, not necessarily for the convenience, but more for the nostalgia of it.

My eyes were open and wandering the smooth ceiling. I was picking out the microscoping scratched and morphs and trying to make pictures out of them in my head, when I saw something in my peripheral vision.

I sat up, taking my headphones out, and I just stared at Jasper, who stood silently at my door. The only sounds to be heard were the intricate melodies coming out of my danging earbuds. The entire house was silent. I would have told him to go away, but the look in his eyes caught me for a moment. I couldn't bring myself to speak because I was pretty sure an enourmous colony of butterflies had just invaded my stomach.

He didn't say anything to greet me. He just stood there, and I was reminded of Fred suddenly.

"Do you have any friends?" I sputtered out suddenly. "Outside of the Cullens, I mean?"

Jasper chuckled, breaking the spell of silence that had overtaken my room. "Of course. I've lived nearly two-hundred years as a vampire, and a majority of that time I was not with the Cullen's. I have a few friends." I was glad to see he had relaxed since earlier, but his next words would have stopped my heart, had it been beating. "I've also made quite a few enemies."

"How?" I asked, he wandered over, pulling the chair from my desk and sitting in front of me.

"I was in a very powerful army."

"You already told me about that."

"Not as a human," Jasper corrected me. "as a vampire. have you ever heard of the Southern Vampire Wars?"

I knodded. "Vaguely. Carlisle mentioned it in passing once."

"The woman who changed me..." He began, and I perked up, scooting closer. "Her name was Maria. She had two others with her, Nettie and Lucy. They hadn't been together long, Maria had rounded up the other two, but all three were survivors of recently lost battles. Maria wanted revenge, and she wanted her territory back. The other two were simply eager to expand their hunting areas. They were putting together an army, and going about it more carefully than was usual for that time. It was MAria's idea. She wanted a superior army, so she sought out specific humans who had potential. Then she gave us much more attention, more training than anyone else had bothered with. She taught us to fight, and she taught us to be invisible to humans. When we did well, we were rewarded."

He paused, seeming to edit something out for my sake.

"She was in a hurry, though. Maria knew that the massive strength of the newborn began to wane around the year mark, and she wanted to act while we were strong.

"There were six of us when I joined Maria's band, but she quickly added more, and often had to get replacements due to infighting. Maria was a good judge of character, and she put me in charge of the others, which suited my nature perfectly. The casualties went down dramatically, and our numbers swelled to hover around twenty.

"This was considerable for the cautious times we lived in. My ability, as yet undefined, to control the emotional atmosphere around me was vitally effective. We soon began to work together in a way that newborn vampires had never cooperated before.

"Maria grew fond of me, and she began to depend on me. In some ways, I worshipped the ground she walked on. I had no idea that any other life was possible. Maria told us that was the way things were, and we believed her."

_A lot like My old coven and I had believed Riley and Victoria._

"She asked me to tell her when my brothers and I were ready to fight, and I was eager to prove myself. I pulled together an army of twenty-three in the end. She unleashed us on her enemies, and we took them down more easily that Maria could believe, losing only four in the process. We were well trained, and we did it without attracting notice. The city changed hands without any human being aware of it.

"Success made Maria greedy. That first year, she extended her control to cover most of Texas and Northern Mexico. Then the others came from the South to dislodge her."

He brushed two fingers alonf the faint pattern of scars on his arm, and I had to fight myself from reaching out and touching them. He noticed and held his arm out for me to study as he continued.

"The fighting was intense. Many began to worry that the Vonturi would return." I flinched at the name. "Of the original twenty-three men in Maria's army, I was the only one to survive the first eighteen months. We both won and lost. Nettie and Lucy turned on Maria eventually, but that one we won.

"It eventually quieted a little, though the wars continued, fueled by vengeance and feuding. So many had lost their partners, and that is something our kind does not forgive..." My hands, the ones that had been traveling his arm feeling the slightly raised scars, still, and our gazes locked as he spoke. "Maria and I always kept a dozen or so newborns ready. They meant little to us, they were pawns. When they outgrew their usefulness, we disposed of them. My life continued in the same violent pattern and the years passed. I was sick of it all for a very long time, before anything changed.

"Decades later, I developed a friendship with a newborn who'd remained useful and survived his first three years, against the odds. His name was Peter. I liked Peter; he was... civilized. He didn't enjoy the fight, though he was good at it. He was assigned to deal with the newborns; babyit them, you could say. It was a full time job."

"And then it was time to purge again. The newborns were outgrowing their strength; they were due to be replaced. Peter was supposed to help me dispose of them. This time, he tried to convince me that a few had potential, but our orders from Maria were to get rid of them all.

"We were about half way through, and I could feel that it was taking a great toll onhim. I was trying to decide whether or not I should send him away and finish up myself as I called out the next victim. The my surprise, he was suddenly angry, incomprehensibly furious.

"The newborn I had summoned was a female, just past her year mark. Her name was Charlotte. His feelings changed when she came into view; they gave him away. He yelled for her to run, and he bolted after her. I could have pursued them, but I didn't...

"Maria was irritated with me after that.

"Five years later, Peter snuck back for me. He picked a good day to arrive, too."

"Maria was mystified by my ever-deteriorating frame of mind. She'd never felt a moment's depression, and I wondered why I was different. I began to notice a change in her emotions when she was near me, the same feelings that had given me advanced warning when Nettie and Lucy struck. I was prepared to destroy my only ally, the core of my existence, and then Peter just returned.

"He told me of his new life with Charlotte, about the options I'd never even dreamed of. In five years, they'd never had to fight, though they've met many others in the North. Others who could co-exist without the constant mayhem.

"In once conversation, he had me convinced. I was ready to go, and somewhat relieved I wouldn't have to kill Maria. I'd been her companion for as many years as Carlisle and Edward have been together, yet the bond between us was no where near as strong. When you live for the fight, for the blood, the relationships you form ar tenuous and easily broken. I walked away without a backward glance."

I knew that. It surprised me how similar our situations had been, though his was a great deal longer than mine had been, and he had suffered tenfold.

"I traveled with Peter and Charlotte for a few years, getting the feel of this new, more peaceful world, but the depression didn't fade. I didn't understand what was wrong with me, until Peter noticed that it was always worse after I'd hunted.

"You've experienced the way I can manipulate the emotions around myself, but sometimes I question if others realize how the feelings in the area effect me. I had to feel the horror and fear of my prey.

Jasper was as lost in the story as I was. It surprised me when his expression smoothed into a peaceful smile.

"I was in Philadelphia. There was a storm, and I was our during the day. I had ducked into a little, half-empty diner, and she was there; Alice was expecting me, naturally. She was smiling and told me I had kept her waiting long enough. She led me to the Cullens."

The way he spoke of Alice was fond, but seemed different than the way Carlisle spoke of Esme, or Edward spoke of Bella. It was more melancholy, like remeniscing about your first love. It was like how I thought of Diego, except Alice was still very much alive.

There was this silence after he had finished his story. It wasn't an unpleasant one either. I had scooted to the edge of my bed over the course of his tale, and he had leaned in closer to me. I still had my hands on his arm but they hadn't moved in a while. He noticed our closeness at the same time I had, but neither of us moved.

"Jasper?" I asked in a whisper.

"Yes?" He voice was at the same decible as my own but two octaves lower, visibly vibrating in his chest and sending a chill down my spine.

I wasn't sure what I wanted to ask. My mind had went blank as soon as I noticed our closing distance, but I managed to mumble out what seemed to resemble a sentence. It was, however, a moment for me to consciously remember what I had said after he chuckled, agreed and pulled away."

"Would you like to watch Gone with the Wind with me and point out historical innaccuracies?"

**Alexei: So, a relatively short chapter, but adorable in my opinion. It's kind of a filler, but I promise this follows the storyline of Breaking Dawn, so it will pick up. Many of you should already know what what happens next.**


	11. Chapter 11

** Alexei: Sometimes, I feel bad for (with few exceptions) not responding to my reviewers, but I also feel it's necessary as well to keep people interested and in suspence. If I gave away a key plotpoint because a reviewer asked about it, I feel like that... ruins the anticipation, so, though I really do appreciate and adore all of the reviews I get, It's not likely I'll respond to them, but I DO read every one of them.**

** whew... just had to get that off of my chest...**

** Anywho, when started writing this, I actually fell asleep in the middle without meaning to, lol, so then I was up really late working on it because I wasn't tired from my nap.**

** I also would like to apologize, this story jumps around a bit, but I intended it to be like snapshots from **_**Breaking Dawn**_**, just how it would be if Bree were in it. Some parts would seem unresolved to the unread eye, however, if you've already read the novel, you should know how it all goes. however, if there are any questions, I'd gladly reply to PM's about it.**

** Other than all of that, Enjoy!**

_IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIII_

I was going to tear the head off of that idiot dog if it was the last thing I do.

"Hey, guys," He greeted us, grinning like nothing was wrong.

It was perfectly silent in the house.

Leah slipped behing the mongrel, in her human form for now, but both of her hands were trembling from the thick tension in the room. Seth had already been over by me, but I could tell he wanted to move over to be with his alpha.

"Charlie'll be here soon," Jacob announced casually, as if none of us already knew, though we all _did _know that the flippant comment was aimed at Bella. The newborn in question was holding her young daughter, like she was a powerful talisman against rash behavior. "Just a heads up," The mutt continued. "I assume Alice is getting you sunglasses or something?"

"You assume _way_ to much," Bella growled at her supposed best friend and imprinter of daughter.

His smile wavered for a moment, but he was still too wound up to answer seriously. "Blondie and Emmett woke me up this morning going on and on about you all moving cross-country. Like I could let that happen, not with my situation. Charlie was the biggest issue, right? Well, problem solved. Simple as that."

"Do you even realize what you've done?" I blurted out, incredulous at his absolute stupidity. I took a step forward, intending to wring his neck, but Jasper's hand shot out, gripping my upper arm. I didn't fight the empath, not with our recent moment of understanding, but I didn't back down from Jacob either. What really stopped me was Seth stepping in front of me and putting a hand on my shoulder. I knew I couldn't hurt my close friend by attacking _his_ close friend, but it was going to be hard. Maybe I could call it a newborn fit. Was I too old to get away with that? "Do you know the danger you've put that man in?"

Jacob snorted at me, and I growled low in response to his flippance. "I didn't put him in danger, except from Bella, but she's got some kind of supernatural self-control. Not as cool as mind reading, if you ask me."

"Do _I_ have superself control?" Even if I did, he would be pushing it right now. I pulled against Jaspers grip. "It's only a theory anyway, and you're the only one stupid enough to even consider testing it out on her father! Did you even consider the physical pain you're putting Bella through, even if she can resist? Or the emotional pain if she'll be in if she doesn't? I'm almost a year old and I still can't be around humans. Bella isn't even a month yet!"

Jacob seemed to have shrunk down to half his original size. "She'll be in pain?"

"Like you've shoved a white-hot branding iron down her throat!"

Bella flinched, probably remembering the scent of pure human blood.

"I didn't know that," Jacob whispered.

Edward cut me off before I could verbally attack the dog again, since I was physically being held back by to strong, supernatural beings. "You should have asked first."

"You would have stopped me."

"You _should_ have been stopped-"

"This isn't about me," Bella suddenly interrupted. She stood extremely still, keeping her desperate hold on Renesmee, who likely represented her sanity. "This is about Charlie, Jacob. How could you put him in danger this way? Do you realize it's death or vampire life for him now, too?" Her voice trembled with the tears her eyes could no longer shed.

Through still troubled by my (incredibly valid) accusations, Bella's didn't seem to bother him at all. "Relax, I didn't tell him anything you weren't planning to."

"But he's coming here!"

"Yeah, that's the idea. Wasn't the whole 'let him make the wrong assumptions' thing your plan? I think I provided a very nice red herring, if I do say so myself."

Bella's finger flexed away from Renesmee, and I watched as she curled them back in securely.

"He phased in front of Charlie," Edward hissed.

"You what?" She whispered.

"He's brave. Brave as you are. Didn't pass out or throw up or anything like that. I gotta say, I'm impressed with your family. You should've seen his face when I started taking my clothes off, though. Absolutely. Priceless." Jacob chortled.

"You moron! You could have given him a heart attack."

"Charlie's fine, Bells. He's tough, like you."

Bella's voice was flat and steely. "You have thirty seconds to tell me every detail, mongrel, before I give Renesmee to Rosalie and rip your miserable head off. Seth and Bree won't be able to stop me this time." That's right. Seth would be to busy trying to stop _me_ from getting to him.

Jacob just rolled his eyes, flopping into the nearest chair. Leah moved to stand at his flank, not nearly as relaxed as him. She kept her eyes on either me or Bella the entire time, teeth slightly bared. On a side note, I was pleasantly surpirised at how white her teeth looked against her coffee colored skin.

"So, I knocked on Charlie's door this morning and asked him to come for a walk with me. He was confused, but when I told him it was about you and that you were back in town, he followed me out into the woods. I told him you weren't sick anymore, and that things were a little weird, but good. He was about to take off to see you, but I told him I had to show him something first, and then I phased." Jacob shrugged.

"I said I wanted every word."

"You also said thirty seconds... okay! okay!" Her almost demonic expression easily convinced him that she wasn't in the mood for teasing. "Lemme see... I phased back and got dressed, and then after he started breathing again, I said something like, 'Charlie, you don't live in the world you thought you lived in. The good news is, nothing has changed, except that now you know. You can go back to pretending that you don't believe in any of this.'

"It took him a minute to get his head together, and he wanted to know what was really going on with you, with the whole rare-disease thing. I told him that you _had_ been sick, but you were now. However, in the process of getting better, you had changed a bit. He immediately wanted to know what I meant by that and so I told him that you looked more like Esme now than you looked like Renee. After a few minutes he asked if you turned into an animal too, and I said, 'She wishes she was that cool!'" Jacob chuckled at himself.

"I started to tell him more about the werewolved, I didn't even get an entire sentence out. He said he'd rather not know the specifics, then he asked if you had known what you were getting into when you married Edward, and I said, 'Sure, she's known all about this for years, since she first came to Forks.' He didn't like that very much. I let his rant until he got it all out of his system." After he calmed down, he just wanted two things. He wanted to see you, and I said it would be better if he gave me a head start to explain."

Bella inhaled deeply. "What was the other thing he wanted?"

Jacob smiled. "You'll like this. His main request is that he be told as little as possible about _all_ of this. If it's not absolutely essential for him to know something, then keep it to yourself. Need to know, only." We all felt relief for the first time since Jacob walked in. "Other than that, he'd like to pretend things are normal." Jacob's smile turned smug; he must suspect that we would be starting to feel the faint stirring of gratitude right about now.

But Bella wasn't done yet.

"What did you tell him about Renesmee?" I heard her struggle to maintain the razor edge to her voice, fighting her reluctant appreciation.

"Oh yeah, so I told him that you and Edward had inherited a new little mouth to feed." He glanced at Edward, who was listening intently to his mind. "She's your orphaned ward, like Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson." Jacob snorted. "I didn't think you'd mind me lying. That's part of the game, right?" Sure, if it _were_ a game. Edward didn't respond in any way, so Jacob went on. "Charlie was way past being shocked at this point, but he did ask if you were adopting her. 'Like a daughter? Like I'm sort of a grandfather?" were his exact words. I told him. 'Congrats, Gramps,' and all that. He even smiled a little."

"But she's changing so fast," Bella whispered.

"I told him that she was more special than all of us put together," he replied in a soft tone. He stood and walked right up to Bella, waving Leah off when she started to follow. Renesmee reached out to him, but Bella hugged her more tightly. "I told him that if he could just ignore all of the strange part, he was going to be amazed. She's the most wonderful person in the world. Then I told him that if he could deal with that, you all would stick around for a while and he would have a chance to get to know her, but if it was too much for him, you would all have to leave. He said as long as no one forced too much information on him, he was deal."

He stared at her with half of a smile, waiting for her response.

"I'm not going to say thank you, if that's what you're expecting," She warned him. "You're still putting Charlie at a huge risk."

"I _am_ sorry about it hurting you. I didn't know it was like that." What did you think it was like, idiot? "Bella, things are different now, but you'll always be my best friend, and I'll always love you, but I'll love you the right way now. There's finally a balance. We _both_ have people we can't live without."

Suddenly, the most horrible tightening began in my chest. I felt like I was just going to burst into tears. It's too bad. It would have been nice to actually cry. A silent sob escaped my lips, but no one seemed to notice, except of course for the only person in the room who could feel what I was feeling.

Jasper pulled me out of the room by my upper arm, the one that he hadn't relaxed his grip on since Jacob got here. As he pulled me away from Seth, there were curious glances from the Cullens, but Edward assured them I was fine with Jasper and they should all focus on getting Bella ready for Charlie's imminent arrival.

"Are you alright?" Jasper's hands were all over my arms and head, checking for anything physically wrong, even though rationally he must have known I was fine. "You were suddenly-"

"I'm alright, Jasper." I cut him off, hiccuping a little. "I was just caught a bit off guard by what Jacob said, I mean I'm still technically a newborn. My mood can be a bit haywire." It was an awkward excuse, but it worked. I swallowed, contemplating what to say next to assure him I was ok. "Now, I just have another reason to be mad at the dog... Can you please stop?"

Jasper was still checking me for any damage possibly done. "What?"

"You're acting weird." I said, wanting to shrug away from his hands. Not that I didn't like them there, I probably liked it too much, but it was awkward and I didn't want him thinking I was having perverse thoughts or anything. "I mean, it's cool and all that you're making sure I'm ok, but..." My brow wrinkled. "It's like someone has been tweeking with your personality. It's a little unnerving for me to have you be acting like this after I've gotten used to you being so cold to me."

He didn't move his hands off of me. His head dipped down and he stared me in the eyes, seeming to be trying to convey something in his. "Just because we argue doesn't mean I don't worry about you."

I would have blushed. I would have blushed so bad. He was too close, and my chest started to tighten up again, this time from nerves. "Why the sudden change?"

He didn't say anything for a moment, and right when I thought he was about to, he let go of me, taking a few steps back and running one of his hands through his wavy, golden locks. "You didn't tell me what happened in the other room." He didn't say this accusingly. It almost sounded a bit desperate. Like he just wanted to change the subject. I decided to let it slide, mostly due to the fact that I didn't want to push it either.

I sighed, not really wanting to explain that either. "I was just reminded of an old friend when Jacob told Bella that he'd love her the right way." Jasper didn't say anything in response, silently telling me to continue. I stared down at the floor. "In my old coven, I had befriended another newborn. We first started interacting on a hunt one night. The only reason being that I was actually careful and the others didn't seem to care if they got caught. We spent the night hunting separate from the rest of the group. We got caught in the sunlight and hid in an underwater cave during the morning because the house we had been staying in had been burned down. Riley told us the sun killed us, so we didn't know what else to do. He was the reason that in that cave we discovered that sunlight didn't harm us at all.

"We spent the rest of the day looking for our coven, but while doing that we realized we were being created for _something_. Something big. I wanted to find out more information about our creator, but Diego decided he would confront Riley about all if it alone." I let out a sob I hadn't realized I had been holding. I wasn't prepared for it at all, and almost chuckled in surprise, despite the pain burying itself deep in my chest. "I never saw him again." I blinked, looking at the ceiling. "Victoria and Riley killed him for finding out the truth; for knowing too much, but even though they probably tortured him, he never gave _me_ away." Was that venom spilling down my cheeks? "I loved him. At least I think I did, but I don't know if I loved him like Jacob loves Bella, or like I think I-" I cut myself off, sobbing more. "And I'll never find out. I won't know if I loved him the right way. I'll never know if I he could've found someone _he_ couldn't live without. And I just-" My voice cracked. "I just miss him. I miss him so much."

I covered my mouth with my hand, trying to hold back even some of my crying. I never meant to get so emotional about my confusion over Diego. There was no denying I missed him, and a several months ago, I wouldn't have questioned whether or not he was my mate, but then again, Jacob wouldn't have questioned whether or not Bella was the love of his life, which made my growing affection for Jasper all the more confusing. Was Jasper _my_ Renesmee?

I was surprised when Jasper pulled me close to his chest, remeniscent to the night Bella was changed. He smelled of that familiar hay and spice scent that always appeared to be radiating off of him, like it was infused into his genes. It was a comforting scent, the smell that you would expect a simple southern home to exude. It surrounded me and seemed to seep into my pores. I could see it. It was like an aura of Jasper blanketing over me. It was almost a tangible orange and as it caressed my skin. I felt Jasper sending feelings of calmness that washed over me and I could see it soaking into me. I was briefly amazed. I felt a deep lurch in my stomach, and I knew I would never look at Jasper the same way again. A tingly sensation that I had been fighting against for a while settled itself in my stomach and I had a feeling it would be there perminently. I only hoped that Jasper couldn't detect it since it didn't really feel like an emotion, more like a physical reaction to his nearness.

I was still crying, but I wasn't sobbing uncontrollably anymore. My face was buried in Jasper's shirt and I hiccuped, settling my head against him chest, thankful that he didn't pull away. I was startled to see a good sized wet spot on his shirt. Sure, I had felt the tears, but I didn't really realize they were actually tears until I saw the proof literally right in front of my face. I stared at the spot, blinking.

"Feeling better?"

I swallowed, embarrassed at my actions, though I didn't move. "I'm sorry," I mumbled.

"It's fine," I listened to his voice rumble through his chest. "Vampires aren't so different from humans that they can bottle up all of their feelings. Trust me, I'm an empath." He chuckled, causing the air around him to vibrate. "This though," He continued, fingering the wet spot on his button up. "Is an interesting development. Definitly something to discuss with Carlisle. Maybe even bring Eleazer down to see if he can explain it." It didn't go unnoticed by me that he completely avoided the topic of my old covenmate. The one I had just confessed that I may or may not have been my mate. I didn't think he was after all this time, and I briefly wondered what would have happened if he was nenver killed.

"What can Eleazer do?" I remembered the Denali vampire from Bella's wedding. He was the tall, Spanish mate of Carmen. I didn't realize he had any special ability.

"Eleazer has the gift of identifying abilities; a talent for detecting the gifts of other vampires you could say." Jasper explained.

"Oh." We didn't say anything for a while. Instead, I listened to Esme and the others giving Bella pointers on how to act human. "Charlie will be here soon," I mumbled.

"I know... How are you feeling?" _Don't you know?_

"I... I'm still mad at Jacob for getting everyone into this mess... and... I'm not sure how I'll react around Charlie."

"Your scared." Of course it wasn't a question of whether or not I was scared. It was more like confirming that was the reason I was scared.

"Yes."

He didn't respond immedietly. It seemed like he was very careful with what he decided to say or not. "Would you like to go hunting instead? Then we can talk to Carlisle."

I nodded against his chest and without any further words he detangled himself from me and stepped toward the nearest outdoor exit. This time though, as we left to hunt, he did something that he had never done before; something that caused my throat to tighten with a warm emotion.

He held my hand.

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**Alexei: OOOH, I hope Jasper wasn't too OOC right there, but I do want it to be known that Bree is changing him quite a bit, but I don't want him to be lost. That'd be weird and we wouldn't have the Jasper we all love and adore anymore... hmmm. As you can tell, I'm slowly developing a lil bit oh somethin for Bree as well. I hinted at it in other chapters, but I'm gonna work on it a bit more in the near future, and explain why I chose for it to be that way.**


	12. Chapter 12

** Alexei: Two updates in one day?! Unheard of!**

** So, I played Call of Duty for the first time ever instead of typing up this chapter, lol. It was fun and made me miss when I used to play Halo all of the time, but sadly reality called and I couldn't spend my life being a couch potato. As it is, I typed this entire fic sparatically anyway. Hopefully I can update more regularly until It's all done and did.**

** Ah! The main conflict! It shall begin! I'm actually nervous. This was an extremely tense chapter to write. I mean, as I was writing it, my own anticipation skyrocketed... it's a crazy experience when what I'm writing effects me so much, especially because I know what I'm writing and whot exactly is going to happen... Normally I feel a bit detached.**

** Anyway...**

** WARNING! This chapter does contain some slightly awkward content. Nothing rated M of course, but none-the-less...**

** I feel like the above warning was a bit of a spoiler for this chapter.**

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"This is an incredibly peculiar developement." Carlisle was examining my face with an earnest look of concentration gracing his features. "I've never even heard of it. In any vampire."

"Do you think it could be a gift?" Jasper was standing beside where I sat on a psuedo examination table, him arms crossed and a serious look on his face.

I huffed at him. "Having the weird ability to cry would be a worse gift than super fantastic self control, Jasper. I don't even want to consider that." I heard Edward chuckling from across the house with his wife. Of course _he_ would find my complaint funny. Not like I was talking about Bella or anything.

"Even if it _is_ what you consider a 'lame' gift, it certainly is something." Hearing the word "lame" come out of Carlisle's mouth was the weirdest thing I had ever experienced. Maybe he only put it that way because I was one of two people in the house who were still teenagers, in the human sense. He didn't talk to Bella like that, though... "From what I gathered from the residue on Jasper's shirt, it looks like your eyes just developed a momentary surplus of venom." From emotion?

"So, what your saying is I don't have any gift, I just have some sort of a weird vampiric genetic defect?" Jasper smirked at my blatantly put question.

"Well, I wouldn't put it like that," Carlisle looked a bit sheepish. "Though it is a bit ironic that you'd be able to physically express such emotion with Jasper's ability."

My forehead crinkled in suspicious confusion. Carlisle was definitely implying something. "How exactly is that ironic?"

He waved me off, changing the subject. "It's nothing, just a personal thought, however, whether this new ability is the result of natural causes or truly a developing gift has yet to be seen. Have any other unusual things been happening?"

Immediately, the whole seeing-colors-around-people thing popped into my head, but it wasn't something I wanted to share with Carlisle until I personally examined it a bit more. "Nothing out of the ordinary somes to mind," I said aloud to my ward.

"Hmm," Carlisle seemed to believe me without hesitation, and it almost made me feel bad for betraying such an open, innocent trust. "Well, if anything does happen, do not hesitate to let me know. Though I can't tell you what it all means, I'm posative that this isn't just some natural fluke."

Carlisle went off to his office, probably to go research either about my strange new ability or Renesmee's dangerous growth.

I hopped off the table and started behind him but Jasper grabbed my wrist stopping me.

"You do that a lot." I murmured to him.

"Do what?"

"Grab me." He raised a blond eyebrow at my observation

He didn't take the bait. "Why did you lie to Carlisle?" He asked in a low voice, not because he sounded mad, but because he didn't want anyone else hearing us. He didn't tell Carlisle I was lying, so obviously he wasn't too worried about it.

"It's nothing," I retorted quietly.

"It's something enough to make you feel incredibly guilty." He hadn't let go of me yet. I couldn't escape him.

"I just... feel bad for lying to Carlisle." I admitted.

"What were you trying to hide?" He didn't seem to be prying, just curious.

I bit my lip. "I'm not quite sure myself. It might just be, as Carlisle put it, a fluke."

"Will you tell _me_?"

I swear I was going to just melt like putty from his nearness. I definitly would have told him every detail since the first time it happened on the field that first day we met, but luckily we were interuppted, by Edward calling us from across the house.

I used this chance to escape, and Jasper didn't stop me this time, but he did follow. When I reached Edward, I was greeted by the sight of Bella holding an ornately carved, ancient wooden box inlaid with gold and mother-of-gold, ornamented with a rainbow of gemstones. It was awfully gaudy in my opinion.

"What's going on?" Jasper asked from behind me.

"Bella just got a wedding present," Edward said gravely. It didn't seem too out of the ordinary to me. Carlisled and the others joined us as he continued. "It's from Aro."

I flinched at the name. The Volturi.

The present itself was not overtly threatening. Extravagant, yes, almost frightening in that very extravagance now that I knew who it was from. The true threat was in the parting line of Aro's congratulatory note, which Bella silently showed us, written in black in on a square of heavy, plain white paper in what I assumed was Aro's own hand:

_**I so look forward to seeing the new Mrs. Cullen and Carlisle's newborn charge in person.**_

I took a step back, like the note were physically going to attack me.

Me? He wants _me_ to go with Bella to see him?

The unsubtle reminder in Aro's note interesting me more than the box. Not only did they need to see Bella to make sure she was truly immortal, but, as I seemed to have forgotten, I was still technically in _need_ of a trial. And it needed to happen soon.

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The shrill sound of Edward's cell phone ringing reached my ears. He answered on the first ring.

"Come, bring Carlisle," Bella trilled fast from the other end of the line. "I saw Irina, and she saw me, but then I think she saw Jacob and she got mad and ran away, I _think_. She hasn't shown up here, but she looked pretty upset so maybe she will. If she doesn't you and Carlisle have to go after her and talk to her. I feel so bad."

He was already leaving with Carlisle as he assured her, "We'll be there in half a minute."

The house was silent as I turned to my constant companion and whispered. "I don't feel good about this."

"Neither do I," Jasper replied.

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Carlisle and Edward hadn't been able to catch up with Irina before her trail disappeared into the sound. They'd swum to the other bank to see if her trail had picked up in a straight line, but there was no trace of her for miles in either direction on the eastern shore.

Carlisled called Tanya with the disappointing news. She and Kate hadn't seen Irina since they'd decided to come to Bella's wedding, and they were distraught that Irina had come so close yet not returned home; it wasn't easy for them to lose their sister, however temporary the separation might be. I wondered if this brought back hard memories of losingtheir mother so many centuries ago.

Alice was able to catch a few glimpses of Irina's immediate future, nothing too concrete. She wasn't going back to Denali, as far as Alice could tell. The picture was hazy. All Alice could see was that Irina was visibly upset; she wandered into the snow-swathed wilderness with a devistated expression. She mad no decisions for a new course beyond her directionless grieving.

Days passed and Irina and her pain moved to the back of everyone's minds. There were more important things to think of now. I would be leaving with Bella for Italy in just a few days.

Just me and Bella.

I shuddered. I didn't know if I would even come back.

After Italy, we would all be traveling to South America to find information on a possible lead for Renensmee and her growth.

It happened that night. Edward and Bella had stayed longer with the rest of us instead of going back to their cottage, so Renesmee was curled up on the sofa, her breathing slow and heavy with sleep, and her tangled curls splayed wildly around her face. The reason for their lingering was Edward being stuck with Carlisle, deep in their planning session.

Meanwhile, Emmett and Jasper were more excited about planning the hunting possibilities. The Amazon offered a change from our normal quarry. Jaguars and Panthers, for example. Emmett had a whim to wrestle with an anaconda. Esme, Bella, and Rosalie were planning what they would pack. Jacob was off with Sam's pack, setting things up for his own absence.

Alice moved slowly around the big room, unnecessarily tidying the already perfect immaculate space, straightening Esme's perfectly hung garlands. She was recentering Esme's vases on the console at the moment. I could tell from the way her face fluctuated, aware then blank then aware again, that she was searching the future. I assumed she was trying to see through the blind spots that Jacob and Renensmee made in her vision as to what was waiting for everyone in South America.

She lifted one crystal vase that was filled with whte and red rosed and turned toward the kitchen. There was just the barest hint of wilt to one of the white flowers, but Alice seemed intent on utter perfection as a distraction to her lack of vision tonight.

Staring at Jasper, I didn't see it when the vase slipped from Alice's fingers. I only heard the whoosh of the air whistling past the crystal, and my eyes flickered up in time to see the vase shatter into ten thousand diamond shards against the edge of the kitchen's marble floor.

We were all perfectly still as the fragmented crystal bounced ans skittered in every direction with an unmusical tinkling, all eyes on Alice's back.

My first thought was that Alice was playing some sort of a trick on us, because there was no way that Alice could have dropped the vase _by accident_. I could have darted across the room to catch the vase in plenty of time myself, if I hadn't assumed she would get it, an how could it fall through her fingers in the first place?

I'd never seen a vampire drop anything by accident. Ever.

And then she was facing us, twisting in a move so fast it didn't exist. That's when I saw it. The most horrible murcky brown leeking out of her.

Her eyes were halfway here and halfway locked on the future, wide, staring, filling her thin face till they seemed to overflow it. Looking into her eyes was like looking out of a grave from the inside; I was buried in the terror and agony of her gaze.

I heard Edward gasp; it was a broken, hald-choked sound.

There was only silence from everyone else.

"What's happening?" I asked.

"They're coming for us," Alice and Edward whispered together, perfectly synchronized. "All of them."

Silence.

I was the quickest to understand. Maybe it was my fear for them that caused it, but I knew what she meant. I barely heard the confermation of my feaars. I didn't need it. I already knew.

"The Volturi," Alice moaned.

"All of them," Edward groaned at the same time.

"Why?" Alice whispered to herself. "How?"

"When?" Edward whispered.

"Why?" Esme echoed.

"When?" Jasper repeated Edward in a voice like splintering ice. I was surprised to find him immediately near me, wrapping his arms around me protectively.

Alice's eyes didn't blink, but it was as if a veil covered them; they became perfectly blank. Only her mouth held onto her expression of horror.

"Not long," she and Edward said together. Then she spoke alone. "There's snow on the forest, snow on the town. Little more than a month.

"Why?" Carlisle was the one to ask this time.

Esme answered. "They must have a reason. Maybe to see-"

"This isn't about Bella," Alice said hollowly. "They're all coming: Aro, Caius, Marcus, every member of the guard, even the wives."

"The wives never leave the tower," Jasper contradicted her, sounding almost desperate. His hold on me tightened. "Never. Not during the southern rebellion. Not when the Romanians tried to overthrow them. Not even when they were hunting the immortal children. Never."

"They're coming now," Edward whispered. "There are so many of us. They must want to make sure that..."

Suddenly, it clicked.

"Irina," I whispered. The entire room stared at me. "Irina... She saw Bella hunting that day with Jacob and..."

"Renesmee," Bella finished in horror.

Irina... The orphaned sisters... Carlisle had said that losing their mother to the Volturi's justice had made Tanya, Kate, and Irina purists when it came to the law.

Jasper had said the words himself. _Not even when they were hunting the immortal children._ The immortal children; The unmentionable bane, the appalling taboo.

With Irena's past, how could she apply any other reading to what she'd seen that day in the narrow field? She had not been close enough to hear Renesmee's heart, to feel the heat radiating from her body. Renesmee's rosy cheeks could have been a trick on our part for all she knew.

After all, the Cullens were in league with werewolves. From Irina's point of view, maybe this meant nothing was beyond us...

Irina, wringing her hands in the snowy wilderness; not mourning Laurent, after all, but knowing it was her duty to turn the Cullens in, knowing what would happen to them if she did. Apparently her conscious had won out over the centuries of friendship.

And the Volturi's reaction to this kind of infraction was so automatic, it was already decided.

Bella turned and draped herself over Renesmee's sleeping body, covering her daughter and burying her face in her curls.

"Think of what she saw that afternoon," she said in a low voice. "To someone who'd lost a mother because of the immortal children, what would Renesmee look like?"

Everything was silent as the others caught up to where Bella and I already were.

"An immortal child," Carlisle whispered.

"She's wrong!" I spurted out. "Renesmee was born, not bitten. She grows every single day..."

The room seemed to get colder, and no one spoke for a long time.

"What can we do?" Bella demanded.

It was Emmett who answered her rhetorical question.

"We fight," he said calmly.

"We can't win," Jasper growled. I felt it reverberate throughout my body as his own curved protectively over mine. I don't think I could have let him go, even if I wanted to. I was scared.

"Well, we can't run," Emmett argued, making a noise of disgust. "Not with Demetri around." I knew instinctively that he was not upset by the idea of the Volturi tracker, but by the idea of running away. "And I don't know that we _can't_ win," He continued. "There are a few options to consider. We don't have to fight alone."

My head snapped toward him at that. "I won't sentence the Quileutes to death, Emmett." Just the thought of Seth getting hurt... or even Leah, and as much as I would hate to admit it, Jacob.

"Chill, Bree. Be realistic. Do you think Jacob or Sam would ignore an invasion? Even if it wasn't about Nessie? Not to mention that, thanks to Irina, Aro knows about our alliance with the pack now, too. However, I was actually thinking about our other friends." We all blinked at him. "I'm not saying they have to fight with us. If they'd just stand beside us, just long enough to make the Volturi hesitate, so that they would stop and listen.

Esme nodded in agreement. "We can ask that much of our friends. _Just_ to witness."

Everyone agreed that that was the thing to do, and broke off into seperate groups to make lists of who to ask, and plans of how to do it. Jasper and I ended up in my bedroom, just sitting there. Occationally, he would reach out to me, but then pull back before I could reach back.

We sat there, silent. I could feel the fear, just creaping up into me. slowly consuming any of the happier emotions that ghosted about. I didn't want to die. Not with a stable family willing to accept me, or a little girl who I thought of as a little sister, or a best friend who quite literally ran circles around me, or...

Or a man that, until now, I hadn't fully realized I was in love with.

Jasper shifted, causing me to look up at him. He was staring at me, he had been doing so since we sat down. It should have unnerved me, but it had become a regular thing in the past weeks.

"Is something wrong?" _Besides the obvious?_

"No..." He just kept looking at me, unnerving me, unwinding me. My breath caught in my throat. "I'm trying to decide if the risk is worth it."

"What?"

He stood, looming over me. My chest tightened, and if I had been human, my heart would have been pounding in it. "The risk."

He was too close, I couldn't focus. "What risk?" I swallowed.

He leaned down, trapping me by placing his hands firmly on either side of me, fisting the unused blankets on my bed. I had to lean back to give myself enough space to breath. Not that I needed to. "The risk of losing you."

The house was silent. Was everyone listening? Were they even here at all? Did Jasper care if they got the wrong impression from his words? I'm sure _I_ got the wrong impression from them. He couldn't mean what I thought he meant. Not in this situation. Right?

Or was it because of this situation that he's admitting to it.

I internally shook my head. Of course not. He didn't feel like I did.

But that look was telling me otherwise. That intense, scared, _hot_ look. I felt myself tremble as he leaned in, his face getting uncomfortably close. I could feel it in my stomach, and my chest, and toes as his lips met mine. The only thing I couldn't feel it in was my brain. I don't even think my brain was capable of feeling anything, or even thinking at that time. He was trembling too, as nervous as I was, but something sparked. The constant tingling in my stomach warmed, slow and deep. I almost couldn't take it.

My eyes fluttered and I could see it again. That color seeping out of Jasper and surrounding me. This time it looked like a deep red, the color of blood and evoking similar reactions in me that blood did. Only I didn't want to devour Jasper in the sense that I wanted to devour him in the sense that...

Oh, if only I could blush.

I'd blame it on being a newborn, except that now I was already past the year mark. Maybe it was because I was stuck in the body of a sixteen year old girl.

Horomones was a good excuse.

Jasper growled, as I pulled away, though only enough to murmur, "_What_ are we doing?"

"You _know_ what we're doing." He said it like a fact, like there was no question. Like we didn't just go from being two perfectly civil _friend_-like people, to all over each other.

Well, he was all over me, really.

"I know," I said, between long kisses. "I guess... I meant _'why_'."

He stopped, pulling completely away. I immediately missed the contact, yearned for it. "Because it was going to happen anyway. That day in the field... What Alice saw..."

"She saw this?!" Of course I was embarrassed at that.

"Not specifically," he ran his hand through his hair, a familiar gesture to me. "I fought it. I wasn't going to let her one vision change what I felt for her, even if it was different from how Carlisle felt about Esme, or how Edward felt about Bella. At first it was easy, because you were so frustrating, but slowly I just... I tried really hard, but eventually... I just didn't want to fight it anymore. Alice saw us. Together." He paused before saying something that caused the heat in me to spike. "Mated."

He couldn't say anything else. I was there, all over _him._ His arms wrapped around me, holding me against him. It felt like every nerve ending in my body was a live wire. I could feel every muscle of his long, lean body; every angle and every plane. I could taste his pure, vivid scent on my tongue and feel the unbelievable silkiness of his marble skin under my sensative fingertips.

My skin was so sensative under his hands, too.

There was nothing else in the world but him now, his arms curled around me, his honey breath on my face, his lips exploring mine. He pulled me against him in a sudden fierceness and I couldn't help but think, _There's the Jasper I know._ A low moan escaped his throat, matching my own. The combined sound sent the electric current running through my body in a near frenzy, like I couldn't get close enough to him fast enough.

I heard the fabric tearing under our hands, and I was surprised at how not awkward I felt. It was completely natural to have him the way I had him now, like I had been doing it my entire life. A normal teenage girl would be embarrassed to have her body completely exposed in the way mine was, but with Jasper it was just...

Right.

He was a completely different person, yet exactly the same as our bodies tangled into one on the still unused purple blankets on my just-for-show bed. There was no caution, no restraint. Every touch was more than I was used to, and I couldn't believe how much I had been missing. It was hard to focus on anything with sensations so intense, pulling my attention to a million different places in my body every second.

I was burning.

And I didn't mind it at all.

_IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII_

**Alexei: Was it too sudden? I felt like it was the right moment as I was planning it because tension would be running high and they would suddenly have to face the prospect of losing eachother, kind of forcing them to speed through the process of sorting out their feelings, but as soon as they did, it just... clicked, lol.**

**Anywho... that was awkward for me to write... being a teenage girl and all... yeah... I guess I'll start the next chapter now...**


	13. Chapter 13

**Alexei: Sigh. I've turned into one of ****_those_**** authors... haven't I? I apologize for the long wait, and the short chapter in return.**

**So, I have been getting many many many questions about Fred lately and I am here to say, do not worry. I have plans for him, lol.**  
><strong>The posative review's I've been getting for this just leave me glowing, lol.<strong>

**It's funny, because every time I get a review saying "Update soon" My internal reaction is a whiny voice saying "Don't tell me what to dooooooo."**

**I'll admit, I didn't update because I was putting it off. Once again, I want to deeply apologize for not getting this to you guys sooner. Though I did go to a music festival and then got really sick, but those excuses only work for a fraction of the time I spent just not wanting to think... I have to think when I write...**

**JUST SO YOU KNOW! This is a quick chapter. Kind of a turning point in the plot to set things rolling. I do feel extremely bad for posting such a short one after such a long period of time, however, I also feel it's necessary to let you know that I am alive, and I will be finishing the fic.**

IIIII

Morning came much too quickly, and with it, the anxiety over the Volturi returned.

Jacob was snoring in the corner, a mountain of fur on the floor, twitching in his sleep. Sam knew everything, and the wolves were readying themselves for what was coming. Not that this preparing would do anything but get them killed along with everyone else.

The sunlight broke through the back windows, sparkling on Jasper's skin. Everyone else was stuck in a frenzied stillness. Even Emmett stood silent. Jasper and I were standing at the door, just entering the frigid room.

Edwards eyebrows moved an infinitesimal bit, then his lips.

"Alice," he said.

The sound of his voice was like ice cracking as it melted. Everyone fractured a little, softened a little. Moved again.

"She's been gone a long time," Rose murmured, surprised.

"Where could she be?" Emmett wondered, taking a step toward Jasper and I; toward the only exit.

Esme put a hand on her arm. "We don't want to disturb-"

"She's never taken this long before," Edward cut his mother figure off. New worry splintered the mask his face had become. His features were alive again, his eyes suddenly wide with fresh fear, extra panic.

"She's gone," I suddenly realized aloud. Everyone looked at me, like I was a lunatic, including Jasper. I turned to him, speaking directly. "She told you before, she was going to leave after the wedding. She's finally done it... She's left..." His face slowly crumpled in shock. "But, now...?"

Suddenly he growled, pulling me to him. "She chose now to desert us?!"

"No," Bella argued, holding tightly onto her daughter. "She wouldn't do that. There has to be some sort of an explanation."

But no body had one.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

"What do we do now?" Emmett huffed in the corner.

"We gather witnesses" Carlisle and Edward said at the same time. "It's the only thing we can do."

I stepped toward the two, Jasper flanking me. "You can't expect others to die for us Carlisle."

We were still in the living room. We had been all day. Thoughts of death loomed over us all in a constant cloud of grey. I didn't know how to cry in this body, and I didn't know how I managed to before; now, I couldn't do anything but stare at the kind vampire who took me in. Everything seemed unreal, like I was dreaming again after all this time. Having a nightmare.

"I won't be asking them to fight," Carlisle argued. "Just to be witnesses."

I swallowed unhappy. There was no possible way it wasn't going to lead to a fight.

Carlisle looked at the globe in front of him. He had taken it out of his study to use as reference. "Esme, Emmett, Rosalie and I will travel to gather witnesses and sent them back her.

"We'll be splitting up," Emmett added. "Rose and I are hunting for nomads."

"You'll have your hands full here," Carlisle said to the rest of us. "Tanya's family will be here in the morning, and they have no idea why. First, you have to persuade them not to react the way Irena did. Second, you must check with Eleazer about" he paused, his eyes flickering to Bella and then me."After that, it will start again as the others come; if we can persuade anyone to come in the first place." Carlisle sighed. "Your job may well be the hardest. We'll be back to help as soon as we can."

Carlisle put his hand on Edward's shoulder for a second and then kissed Bella's forehead. Esme came over and hugged Jasper and I. Emmett punched Jasper in the arm, and action that made me tense up, and Rosalie blew a kiss to Renesmee, giving Jacob a parting grimace.

"Good luck," Edward told them.

"And to you," Carlisle said. "We'll all need it."

"Wait," I suddenly realized "While your out, I know someone who might be willing to help us." Jasper looked at me, confused. They all did. It seemed like they did that a lot. "I was supposed to meet up with him. before..." before I found out Diego was dead.

A pang twisted my gut, though it wasn't as bad as it had once been. I loved Jasper, yes, but Diego was still dear to me. I imagine this would be how Bella would feel if Jacob was suddenly ripped away from her. Edward sent me a sympathetic look.

"What is his name, child?" Carlisle prompted when I paused.

"Fred."


	14. Chapter 14

**Alexei: I have plans for this chapter... he he he...**

** Originally, I was going to have Bree and Jasper go find Fred, but I figured they would be more needed at the house and she wouldn't be quite comfortable leaving yet. But don't worry, He'll be coming around soon.**

** On the topic of Fred, I recieved an interesting review that suggested he be paired with Tanya. Unfortunately, I already have plans for him elsewhere, but I wouldn't be against writing a sort-of-canon one shot about them. What do you guys think? Would you read it?**

** UGH! I had just started typing this when suddenly my screen broke... It's completely my fault, though I don't know exactly how it happened. I did all I could to make sure it would be fine, However, it's still frustrating. There is now a huge black spot in the middle of my screen... however, I can still type off to the side, and otherwise my laptop works just fine. It doesn't hiner my minecrafting at all.**

_IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII_

"Jasper, will you teach me how to fight?"

His reaction wasn't much different than the one I expected. "If it comes to a fight , there won't be much any of us can do. We're at a strategic disadvantage." Leave it to him to use milatary tactics as an excuse.

I kept my voice even as I replied. "Would you leave me unable to defend myself if you couldn't?"

"I won't let that happen," he growled, pulling my closer to him on the couch.

"Not if you're decapitated in a bonfire." I almost used Jane as an example, but then I remembered how he was able to fight the pain and move that day I first met him. He was also in an instinctual rage, but still.

He swallowed convulsively. "When you put it that way... I suppose we could teach you something."

"Yeah, it's not like I learned too much from Riley."

We were at the main house, waiting in the open living room for Bella and Edward to arrive from their cottage so that we could recoup and get ready before the Denali's arrived. Jasper and I had had the night alone since everyone else was gone, and, embarrassingly, It was no different than the one before. Though this time it was his bedroom. Was it too early to just move into the same room?

It was hard to pull myself away from him when the sun came up, but we had our job to do, a job that might be more difficult than the rest of the family's searches put together. As soon as I let myself think of what was coming, I was all tension; it felt like my nerves were being stretched on one of those medieval torture devices I learned about before dropping out of school; thinner and thinner.

I wondered what I could do that would have any hope of making a difference. "What would you say their biggest advantage is, strategically?" I asked. "Do they even _have_ a weakness?"

Jasper didn't have to ask to know I meant the Volturi.

"Alec and Jane are their greatest offence," he said, emotionlessly, like we were discussing a game of football. "Their defensive players rarely see any action."

"Because Jane can burn you where you stand," We both cringed. "What does Alec do?"

"In a way, he is the antidote to Jane. She makes you feel the worse pain imaginable. Alec, on the other had, makes you feel nothing. Absolutely nothing. Sometimes, when the Volturi are feeling kind, they have Alec anesthetize someone before he is executed. If they surrendered or pleased them in some way."

"He's an anesthetic? How so?"

"He cuts off your senses altogether. No pain, but also no sight or sound or smell." Reminded me of how Jasper treated me in that battle so long ago, when he had me close my eyes and covered my ears. All I could smell was the smoke so I had held my breath. It wasn't a pleasant experience. "Total sensory deprivation. You are utterly alone in the blackness. You don't even feel it when they burn you."

I shivered. Was this the best we could hope for? To not see or feel death when it came?

"That would make him equally as dangerous as Jane," Jasper when on in the same detached voice, "in that they both can incapitate you, make you into a helpless target, but the difference between them is like the difference between Aro and Edward. Aro hears the mind of only one person at a time. Jane can only hurt the one object of her focus. Edward can hear everyone at the same time."

I felt cold as I saw where he was going. "And Alec can incapacitate us all at the same time?"

"Yes," He replied. "If he uses his gift against us, we will all stand blind and deaf until they get around to killing us. Maybe they'll simply burn us without bothering to tear us apart first. Oh, we could try to fight, but we'll be more likely to hurt one another than we would be to hurt one of them.

We sat in silence for a few seconds. Jasper was a _fighter_. How could he give up so easily... wait... he was a fighter. He could teach others how to fight...

An idea was shaping itself in my head. Not very promising, but better than nothing.

"Do you think Alec is a very good fighter?" I asked. "Aside from what he can do, I mean. If he had to fight without his gift. I wonder if he's ever tried..."

Jasper glanced at me sharply. "What are you thinking?"

"Edward wouldnt like it..." I trailed off, holding his gaze.

"You mean-"

"Yeah. Alec probably couldn't do it to Bella, could he? If what he does is like Aro and Jane and Edward. Maybe... if he's never really had to defend himself... and if you taught her a few tricks-"

"He's been with the Volturi for centuries." I gasped, whipping my head around to see Edward and Bella standing at the door. I could tell from the mind reader's eyes that he didn't like my plan, but something different could be seen in Bella's. She was considering it. She locked eyes with me as she held a sleeping Renesmee in her arms.

"Edward," Jasper began. "You have to admit, tactically-"

"Yes, Bella would surely be immune to his power," he agreed. "But she's still a newborn. We can't make her that strong a fighter in a few weeks. I'm sure Alec has had training."

"Maybe," Bella pondered aloud, drawing our attention. "Maybe not. It's the one thing I can do that no one else can. Even if I can just distract him for a while." Could she last long enough to give the rest of us a chance?

Edward shot me a glare as he heard my train of thought, which was repricated by a low growl from Jasper.

"Please, Bella," he said through his teeth, unhappy with her agreement. "Let's not talk about this."

"Be reasonable," She chided.

"I will try to teach you what I can, but please don't make me think about you sacrificing yourself as a diversion-" He choked, and didn't finish.

I understood where the man was coming from. I couldn't imagine Jasper charging ahead just to save the others and myself. I'm sure he would, but it wasn't a pleasant idea for me to consider.

But what if Bella was able to distract, or even take them out? Honestly, why would either Jane or Alec ever have needed to learn battle skills? I couldn't imagine petulant little Jane surrendering her advantage, even to learn.

I wondered what the two had been like as humans.

Focus, Bree!

I turned to Jasper, ignoring the other couple. "I have to learn everything. As much as you can possibly cram into my head in the next month," I whispered.

He didn't say anything, but his unhappiness about the situation seeped out of him in a dull brown sludge-like cloud.

I heard Jacob's heavy feet thudding against the frozen ground outside. In seconds, he was pacing beside Bella, his dark eyes focused on Renesmee. She nodded to him once.

"Edward?" Jasper asked. "How do you feel about asking Eleazar about the Volturi? Do you think he would know anything?"

"Why would he know any more about them than we do?" I questioned.

"I forgot you didn't know," Edward sighed, his face hardening a bit. "Eleazar knows pretty much everything when it comes to the Volturi. He used to be one of them."

I hissed involuntarily. "What?" I demanded, in my head picturing the beautiful dark-haired man at Bella's wedding wrapped in a long, ashy cloak.

His face was softer now, he even smiled a little. "Eleazar is a very gentle person. He wasn't entirely happy with the Volturi, but he respected the law and its need to be upheld. He felt he was working toward the greater good. He doesn't regret his time with them, but when he found Carmen, he found his place in this world. They are very similar people, both very compassionate for vampires. They met Tanya and her sisters, and they never looked back. They are well suited for this lifestyle. If they'd never found Tanya, I imagine they would have eventually discovered a way to live without human blood on their own."

My brow crinkled in thought. _Was he like Jane or Alec?_

"He wasn't one of their warriors, so to speak." he answered aloud. "He had a gift they found convenient. You see, he has this instinctive feel for the gifts of; the extra abilities some of us have. He could give Aro a general idea of what any given vampire was capable of just by being in proximity with him or her. This was helpful when the Volturi went into battle. He could warn then f someone in the opposing coven had a skill that might give them some trouble. That was rare; it takes quite a skill to even inconvenience the Volturi for a moment. More often, the warning would give Aro the chance to save someone who might be useful to him. Aro was sorry to see him go."

_They let him go? Just like that?_

"The Volturi aren't supposed to be the villains, the way they seem to you. They are the foundation of our peace and civilazation. Each member of the guard chooses to serve them. It's quite the honor; they are all proud to be there, not forced to be there."

I scowled at the ground.

"They're only alleged to be heinous and evil by the criminals, Bree."

"_I_ wasn't a criminal, Edward." I glared at him.

"They didn't know that."

"Do you really think we can make them stop and listen?" Bella interjected.

He hesitated just the tiniet moment and then shrugged. "If we find enough friends to stand beside us. Maybe."

If. I suddenly felt the urgency of what we had before us today.

"Tanya shouldn't be too much longer," Edward said. "We need to be ready."

How to be ready, though? We arranged and rearranged, thought and rethought. Renesmee in full view, or hidden at first? Jacob in the room, or outside? He'd told his pack to stay close, but invisible. Should he do the same? I wanted to go check on Seth.

In the end, Renesmee, Jacob, and Bella waited around the corner from the front door in the dining room, sitting at the big polished table. Jacob had Bella hold Renesmee. He wanted space in case he had to phase quickly.

Jasper and I stood near Edward, who leaned motionlessly against the back window wall, staring toward the front door. It didn't even look like he was seeing the room in front of him.

We listened to the cars zooming past out on the freeway, none of them slowing. It wasn't long before we heard the sound we had been waiting for: the slowing of an engine on the freeway, the tired moving from pavement to soft dirt.

Edward darted to stand waiting by the door. Jasper and I moved to flank him, staring at eachother from either side of him.

The car moved quickly through the woods, faster than any human would have drove. We heard it pull into the meadow and stop by the front porch. Four doors opened and closed. They didnt speak as they approached the door. Edward opened it before they could knock.

"Edward!" Tanya enthused.

"Hello, Tanya. Kate, Eleazar, Carmen"

Three murmured hellos.

"Carlisle said he needed to talk to us right away," Tanya said. They eyed Jasper and I, standing guard beside Edward. They were still outside. We were blocking their entrance. "What's the problem? Trouble with the werewolves?"

I nearly hissed. One of those werewolves was my best friend.

"No," Edward replied. "Our truce with the wolves is stronger than ever."

She chuckled. "Are you going to invite us in?" She asked. Strange, I don't recall her being this flirty before. It was an ironic relief that Bella couldn't see how she eyed her husband. I would have tore her head off had she done that to Jasper. "Where's Carlisle?"

"Carlisle had to leave."

There was a short silence.

"What's going on, Edward?" Tanya demanded.

"If you could give me the benefit of the doubt for just a few minutes," he answered. "I have something difficult to explain, and I'll need you to be open-minded until you understand."

"Is Carlisle all right?" Eleazar asked.

"None of us is all right." Edward said. "But physically, Carlisle is fine."

"Physically?" Tanya asked sharply. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that my entire family is in grave danger."

_IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII_

It was easy enough to explain to them the situation, and even easier to get them to agree to help us, despite their initial reaction. Of course they assumed Renesmee was an immortal child at first, eliciting shock and terror on their part, but all they had to do was listen to her fluttering heart to know otherwise. It wasn't long before she swayed them to protect her.

Eleazar was interested in Bella, specifically. Apparently, she was some sort of shield, which I totally called back when she was human. The most interesting part was that she had no conscious knowledge of this before he had said anything. Eleazer suspected Renesmee had gotten the reverse of her parent's gifts. She could show others her thoughts and no one could keep her out. Again, something I figured not long after she was born.

What I hadn't expected was what came next.

"She is special, that little one," Tanya mused, staring at Renesmee in Bella's lap. "Hard to resist."

"Well, she _is_ surrounded by very talented people," Eleazar murmured as he paced. His tempo was increasing; he flashed from the door to Carmen and back again every second. "A mind reader for a father, a shield for a mother, influence from a seer and two very powerful manipulators of emotion, and then whatever magic this extraordinary child has bewitched us with. I wonder if there is a name for what she does, or if it is the norm for a vampire hybrid. As if such a thing could ever be considered normal! A vampire hybrid, indeed!"

"Excuse me?" Jasper said in a confused voice. He reached out and caught Eleazar's shoulder as he was about to turn again for the door. "What did you just say?"

Eleazar looked at him curiously, his manic pacing forgotten for a moment. "Your mate can manipulate emotion; much like you can. Though you two experience them differently."

I stared at Eleazar, my brows raising. Mate? Sure, I had assumed, but it was different hearing it out loud. I could feel the ghost of the blush that would never arise.

"You can read emotions?" Jasper was right in front of me, his hands on my arms. He was pulling me, nearly lifting me off of the solid wood floor. I was frightened for a moment. Was he mad?

"It's ok," he purred, petting my head. He pulled me into an embrace. "I didn't mean to scare you. I was just surprised. How come you never said anything? Can you really feel emotions?"

"No," Eleazar and I answered at the same time.

"Umm," I swallowed, waiting to see if he was going to be the one to explain it, or if I was. I had kind of figured out what was going on a while back, I just didn't think it was that important, especially with Jasper around. "I, umm... you see... it's kind of like..."

I really didn't know how to explain it.

"I see colors," I finally got out. "It's like, people are always just surrounded by these clouds of color. Normally, I just kind of ignore it, but sometimes if I start focusing on it, or someone feels something really strong... they just... it's like they pour out of people." I paused, swallowing. "And when I see it. I just... know what it means. Like if someone is yellow, I see that yellow and know what their feeling. I can't feel it, I just know what the color means... But there are so many different shades of color... It's really hard to explain." I bit my lip, looking over Jasper's broad shoulder at Eleazer. "But I've never manipulated anything. I just see it."

He smiled, knowing something I didn't. Jasper shifted, to look at the Denali male. "What is it, Eleazar?"

"You don't manipulate emotions in the same sense that Jasper does." He was deliberately holding something back.

"How so?" Jasper asked, impatient and not wanting to play Eleazars game.

"Jasper, you can change how someone is feeling. Bree, You can change how they feel it."

My brow crinkled. "What is that supposed to mean, yoda?"

I heard Bella chuckle. I'd forgotten she was in the room.

"It means," Eleazar sighed, frustrated that I wasn't understanding; however, there was no way he was as frustrated as I was for _not_ understanding. "You can make others physically show the signs of emotion."

"I still don't-"

"That time you cried," Jasper cut me off. I looked at him, confused.

"Precisely," Eleazar confermed. "Jasper can make others sad, but you. You can make them physically cry from sadness."

"But, I've never done that to anyone else, and it only happened once with me." I shook my head. That couldn't be right. That was a lame power. It was better than none, but still. All I could do was see colors and cry. I might as well have been on drugs. Not like they would affect me now.

"You're still relatively new to this world of our," Kate said. "It takes practice." I slowly nodded at her, still not quite understanding."

"This..." Jasper trailed off, breathing in my ear. "That... You... You are amazing."

"You're starting to sound like me," I sighed. "Finish your thoughts."

"You two are like a two piece jigsaw puzzle," Bella smiled as I sent her a flustered look. "What? It's a good analogy. You two are like halves to a whole. It works." She was flustered now, and I chuckled at her.

Two halves, huh?

Suddenly, we were all distracted as we heard the sound of tires turning off the highway pavement onto the Cullens' dirt drive.

"Oh crap, Charlie," Bella muttered. "Maybe the Denali's could hang out upstairs until-"

"No," Edward said in a distant voice. His eyes were far away, staring blankely at the door, but I could see the surprise creeping out of him. It was a bluish color, a sort of meloncholy surprise. "It's not your father." His gaze suddenly focused on Jasper. "It seems Alice has sent Peter and Charlotte to us."

We all stared at him in shock, but it didn't last long. It was time to get ready for the next round.

_IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII_

**Alexei: I'm surprised at how much I was able to get done just by typing a little bit every day. Maybe I can finish this before Summer Break started. Who knows, Spring Break is coming up, maybe I'll be able to get a jump on it then...**


	15. Chapter 15

**Alexei: Holy Jeez. I just realized how many reviews this has gotten... There was one time I checked my email, and I have it set to get an email every time I get a review, otherwise I would never check. Now, normally I get like two emails a day, mainly from teachers and updates for various accounts I have. Mid writing this chapter, I checked it and I literally had like 30 emails about people reviewing and favoriting and whatnot. It filled my heart with great joy.**

** OH! OH! OH! I am excited for (The end of) this chapter and you should be too! No spoilers or anything, but everyone has been waiting for this moment, including me.**

** I've taken to writing a little bit every night. Some nights I write pages, and some I barely get a sentence out, but it's a nice way to end the day. Productive as well, and this way I know rabid fangirls won't strangle me in my sleep.**

** ALSO! I've been trying to decide if I want the final battle to be like the one in the book or in the movie. Either one has it's advantages, but it's a fine line between what's easily written, and how the heck would I write the battle if it was all in Alice's vision, and thus not in Bree's perspective, because this fic is in Bree's perspective, and I really don't want to switch it because it would be inconsistant. Any ideas?**

_IIIIIIIIII_

The Cullens' enormous house was more crowded with guests than anyone would assume could possibly be comfortable. It only worked out because none of the visitors slept. Mealtimes were dicey, though. Our company co-operated as best they could. They gave Forks a wide berth, only hunting out of state; Edward was a gracious host, lending out his cars as needed without so much as a wince. The compromise worked, but they always came back smelling like blood. It was hard to deal with at times, but Jasper often distracted me.

He introduced me to both Peter and Charlotte, whom I remembered from his Southern War Tales. They were not nearly as scarred as he was, but it was still enough to make a vampire think twice before approaching them.

Peter was a newborn recruited by Maria into her army. His kindred spirit and combat skills appealed to Jasper, so much so that he convinced Maria to keep past his first year. Peter spent the next three after that serving in Maria's army, until he met Charlotte.

She was a human girl, unlucky enough to find herself in the wrong place at the wrong time when Maria was recruiting new members for her army. She was transformed and enlisted against her will.

The two first met when Charlotte was brought into the Mexican coven. They grew fond of each other, but as Charlotte's time of disposition came closer, Peter became increasingly worried. He attempted to persuade Maria to spare her, but she refused. When Jasper was about to execute her, Peter urged her to run and then ran with her. While on the run, they both cautioned for any following pursuers, until they realized that they weren't being followed.

By escaping and moving to the northern United States, the two found a new and more peaceful life together. A few years later, they were joined by Jasper, but according to them, he was never truly happy. He could feel what his human victims felt, and it left him depressed. After Jasper met Alice, the four of them traveled together for some time before Jasper and Alice joined the Cullens. Though Charlotte and Peter liked Alice _and_ the Cullens, they did not join them due to their peculiar diet on animal blood. _Our_ peculiar diet.

Neither Peter nor Charlotte had ever seen an immortal child. Though they knew the rule, their negative reaction was not as powerful as the Denali vampires' had been at first. Curiousity had driven them to allow Renesmee's explaination, and that was it. Now they were as committed to witnessing as Tanya's family.

I suspected they were a bit curious about me and Jasper as well, but they kept to themselves about it.

Carlisle had also sent friends from Ireland and Egypt.

The Irish clan arrived first. They were surprisingly easy to convince. Siobhan, a woman of immense presence, whose huge body was both beautiful and mesmerizing as it moved in smooth undulations, was the leader, but she and her hard faced mate, Liam, were long used to trusting the judgement of their newest coven member. Little Maggie, with her bouncy red curls, was not physically imposing, like the other two, but she had a gift for knowing when she was being lied to, and her verdicts were never contested. Maggie declared Edward spoke the truth, and so Siobhan and Liam accepted our story absolutely before even touching Renesmee.

Their coven was first established in the early 1650s, when newborn Liam met Siobhan, and they became a couple. A new member was added to their coven when they stumbled across a young girl, Maggie, in 1847, who was starving to death due to the Great Famine that affected her village. She could tell right away that they weren't humans, which intrigued Siobhan to the point that she decided to change her, as she had always been curious about people who could develop a special talent as vampires and believed she had stumbled across one. Liam did not like the idea, because he didn't want to share her attention with anyone else. Siobhan persuaded him to agree, reluctantly. It didn't take long before Liam started to enjoy Maggie's company, and they both treated her with honesty and fondness.

It had been easy enough to convinse this family of vampires of our innocents, but Amun and The Egyptian vampires were another story. The members of the Egyptian coven, including Amun, existed as individuals for centuries before the Romanians' rise to power. After the Romanians began to grow as a coven and dominate their part of the world, several solo vampires and vampire couples joined forces to protect their dominance in the Nile River Valley. Unlike the Romanians, they did not form a guard of subordinates or try to overthrow other vampire covens. Similar to the Romanians, they kept many human slaves and lived as gods. Although none of them possessed any particular gifts.

The Egyptians and Romanians coexisted: they were cordial to one another, though not friendly. Had the Romanians continued the expansion of their empire, eventually they probably would have tried to overthrow the much smaller Egyptian coven. Before the Romanians had time to move that far south, however, the Volturi attacked.

A century later, after the Volturi overwhelmingly won the war against the Romanians, they continued their march against other covens that lived ostentatiously. Their next target was Egypt. Again, the Volturi began with an attempt at diplomacy. They sent ambassadors to the Egyptian "gods", explaining their cause and asking the Egyptians to comply. For the most part, the Egyptians were furious and refused to grant the Volturi any power over them. Only one Egyptian pair changed sides - Amun and Kebi. Amun knew that if the Volturi were able to overthrow the Romanians, the more peaceful Egyptians would be totally decimated within a few years.

Amun had a very strong survival instinct, and he was willing to bow to the Volturi if it kept him alive. Kebi followed Amun's choice without question. However, Amun was always bitter at having to surrender his former lifestyle. He loved the worship, the towering desert monuments, and the excess. He knew he could not plot against the Volturi, because Aro would find out. But he hoped that, over time, he could gain the strength to oppose them. He had learned from the Volturi methods, and he sought out talented humans and vampires.

Unfortunately for him, Aro was well aware of Amun's true desires. He felt the need to let Amun survive in the first place as an example to other covens, so they could see the truth of the Volturi's offer: as long as they did as the Volturi commanded, they could live. Aro always kept a close eye on Amun's movements afterward, so Aro was able to identify individuals Amun was trying to integrate into his coven and - if they had a valuable talent - invite them into the Volturi guard first. Demetri was one of Amun's acquisitions. But with Chelsea on his side, it was not hard for Aro to woo people away from Amun. In many other cases, Aro would simply accuse a coven of a crime when he wanted one of their talented members. He'd kill the rest and save the special one. But Aro enjoys toying with Amun too much to end his life that way.

Over the centuries, Amun had given up trying to create his own talented force. However, when he stumbled across Benjamin - who, as a human, was performing "magic" tricks in the streets of Cairo - he began to dream again. He became a total recluse, keeping Benjamin a deep secret by avoiding contact with any vampire or human who might possibly cross paths with the Volturi. He treated Benjamin as a son, and Benjamin viewed him as a father. The only big falling-out they had in the early years of their coven was when Benjamin left briefly to create his own mate, against Amun's wishes. Benjamin was quickly forgiven when he returned, with no harm done.

Now, they were here with us, but despite Benjamin and Tia, his mate, being convinced through Renesmee, Amun and his mate, Kebi, refuse to touch her to hear her story. However, he does agree to stay long enough to testify after Benjamin not-so-subtly threatened to disband their alliance.

"What exactly can Benjamin do?" I asked Jasper at one point.

"Something Eleazar's never seen before. Something I've never heard of. Something even Bella's shield would do nothing against." He grinned a crooked little coyboy smile at me. "He can actually influence the elements; true physical manipulation, no illusion of the mind. Benjamin is still experimenting with it, and Amun tries to mold him into a weapon, but you see how independant he is. He won't be used."

"You like him," I concluded.

"He has a very clear sense of right and wrong. I admire his attitude."

Emmett and Rose sent individuals as well; really any nomad friends of Carlisle's they could track down.

Garrett came first. He was born in the mid-1700s during the American Revolution, in New England. He was a hotheaded patriot who willingly fought for the colonies' right to self-govern. He was a true believer in the American dream.

He was transformed around 1780, during the war. The war's massive death toll gave local vampires the opportunity to feast frequently, Garrett was transformed by accident in the aftermath of the battle. Garrett was with an isolated group of ten soldiers when a vampire attacked them, knocking him unconscious at the beginning of the attack. The vampire, after draining the other nine soldiers, was sated enough and he didn't drink much of Garrett's blood. Thinking that Garrett was dead, the vampire ran after giving a blow to Garrett's head. He woke up three days later as a fully-fledged vampire. He seemed to be the type to always be curious and willing to investigate a mystery, and it didn't surprise me to find out that after his transformation he strove to understand what had happened to him.

Sometime after his transformation, he met Carlisle. Though he is not a vegetarian, he is among Carlisle's closest of friends, likely the reason why he was here to help.

The most unnerving of our guests were The Romanians. The Romanian coven was one of the oldest vampire covens in existence. It was located somewhere in Romania, known as Dacia at the time. It was the original ruling coven before the Volturi overthrew them in a war between 400 and 500 AD. After their loss of power, their nuy depleted, their coven now consisting of only Vladimir and Stefan.

According to their stories, in ancient times, a group of ambitious vampires called a truce to the usual squabbling between small covens and joined forces for the purpose of gaining power. Their ambition allowed them to overcome their competitive drive and cooperate. Eventually, the Romanian coven became the largest and the ruling coven of the vampire world. The coven consisted of a guard and subordinates; the majority of the coven though concentrated on physical strength with most of its members being physically imposing vampires.

During their rule the coven, as with most vampires at the time, did not bother keeping their existence a secret, willingly letting the people of Romania know they were vampires and warred against the Egyptian coven. Humans were delivered to them, and if they were pleased enough, the Romanians would choose to change them. But when the Volturi came to power, the Romanians were usurped after almost a century of warring against each other. Their downfall originated from their underestimating the advantage of supernatural abilities that existed in some vampires; which the Volturi had collected. Three members, Stefan, Vladimir, and Vladimir's mate, escaped execution when their castle was destroyed.

Ever since then, they had harbored resentment towards the Volturi and would do anything to overthrow them. At one point after their downfall, the remaining members attempted to destroy the Volturi and take back their power by gathering over 100 recruits, thinking that their number would overcome the Volturi's talented members. It was then the leader Aro displayed Alec's and Jane's destructive powers and massacred the entire army, Vladimir's mate included. Stefan and Vladimir only survived because they were waiting at the escape route where they planned a trap for the expected Volturi retreat.

After this, the Romanians made no further attempt to create more vampires for their coven. They decided to disappear until the Volturi weakened or another power presented itself. Every few decades, Aro would send Demetri to seek them out and see what they been doing, which forced them to constantly move and be on their guard. Since the two of them posed little threat to no threat to the Volturi, they were always left on their way.

Vladimir and Stefan particularly hated Jane and Alec, and they'd call them the "witch twins", because of their powerful talents that had made the Volturi untouchable.

While Jacob, Bella and many of the other, including myself, found them unpleasant, Renesmee found them quite fascinating. She had to speak to them aloud because they wouldn't let her touch them.

Being unexpected guests, they told us that they have heard whispers about a 'fight' against the Volturi and wanted to join us in it, despite our assurance that there wouldn't be one.

Of course, Jacob got more surely with each new addition. He kept his distance when he could, and when he couldn't, he grumbled to Renesmee that someone was going to have to provide an index if anyone expected him to keep all the new bloodsuckers' names straight.

Carlisle and Esme returned a week after they had gone, Emmett and Rosalie just a few days later, and all of us felt better when they were home. Carlisle brought one more friend home, though friend might have been the wrong term.

Alistair grew up in England during the turbulent reign of Edward II, considered the weakest of the Plantagenet kings. Alistair's father was one of the barons who continually fought against the King's attempts to limit the power of the British Peerage. Throughout Alistair's youth, his father and older brother were embroiled in conspiracy after conspiracy as they tried to protect the rights of aristocracy and to gain a place of preeminence over the other barons.

He lived quietly at the family's country estate with his mother and sisters. He had no interest in his father's schemes, preferred to hunt for sport and was considered the best hunter in the county. Also an avid falconer, keeping many birds and training them being his favorite pursuit.

His father secretly formed an alliance with two other barons after the banishment of the king's favorite counselor. Alistair's brother was supposed to get a place in the counselor's position. However, after multiple betrayals on all sides, his brother was implicated in a plot to overthrow the king, and he and a few others were executed for treason. The charges were falsely created by another powerful aristocrat with an agenda that differed from Alistair's father's.

His father became increasingly distrustful of the other barons and eventually became obsessed with vengeance and sought aid of the darkest forces of the occult while the rest of his family completely withdrew from society. Alistair planned to take care of his sisters if they remained unmarried for his brother's fatal mistake. One night, Alistair's father brought him into the secret tunnels of London, where many minor aristocrats were gathered. His father had planned to set him on the throne of England and swore Alistair would be the next Charlemagne. Shortly after explaining this plan, a man called Astaroth, whose true name was George, arrived. He didn't know that Astaroth was a vampire who had agreed to change Alistair into a vampire under his father's wishes. After giving him a few pointers, he bit Alistair.

When his transformation was complete, Alistair slaughtered most of the peasants captured for him to feed on. After he was satiated, his father entered the cellar to explain the upcoming steps of becoming a vampire, but Alistair was too furious to listen and shoved him out of the way, accidentally killing him. He escaped the tunnels and ran back home, only to find his entire family gone. In a burst of insight, he realized that his father had given his family to Astaroth in exchange for his immortality. Totally devastated, he tried to seek comfort with the falcons, but they flew away in fear.

Alistair left civilization that night and avoided all contact with humans, except when he hunted, and mistrusted everyone and everything that had to do with authority figures with a sense of paranoia. Truly a heartbreaking story.

He first met Carlisle Cullen in the 17th century, and though they didn't talk much, Carlisle managed to make him respond a little bit before he left. From that point forward, they became friends of sorts, though Alistair could only stand a visit once a century or two.

He agreed to be a witness for Renesmee and the Cullens, but only grudgingly. He kept to himself through the month of waiting, mostly staying in the attic which was his favourite place to sulk. Like Amun, he refused to touch Renesmee, though took Carlisle's word.

He worried about having to run from the Volturi, a valid fear on his part, but at least he had more hope of doing so than the rest of us. Alistair was a tracker, though not nearly as precise and efficient as Demetri. He just felt and elusive pull toward whatever he was seeking, but that pull would be enough to tell him which direction to run; the opposite direction from Demetri.

And then another pair of unexpected friends arrived; unexpected, because neither Carlisle, nor Rosalie had been able to contact the Amazons. Alice had sent them, which was interesting news to put it mildly. Why was Alice in South America?

The Amazon coven consists of Zafrina, Kachiri, and Senna, who reside in the rain forests of South America. Alice only sent Zafrina and Senna, keeping Kachiri with her for some odd reason. The members were all natives of the Pantanal wetlands. Despite the fact that they lives in a part of the world with little human population, the sisters consumed the traditional diet of human blood. They never interacted with humans except when hunting; they didn't associate with them or make any pretenses of behaving in a human way. They were feral in appearance and rarely chose to leave the unpopulated wetlands.

Very few vampires had ever heard of this coven — including the Volturi, due to their self-sufficient way of life and the lack of human population in South America. It was formed when Kachiri transformed Zafrina and Senna into vampires, her two best friends from her human life. They mostly kept to themselves in the forest, never interacting with humans unless they were feeding. The three Amazonian vampires are very close.

The Amazon coven first came across the Cullen family in the 1940s on a hunting trip. They were quite taken with Carlisle's gentle, friendly manner and so befriended him and his family.

Edward was thrilled to have the Amazons with us, because Zafrina was enormously talented; her gift could make a very dangerous offensive weapon. Not that Edward was asking Zafrina to side with us in the battle, which he totally was, but if the Volturi did not pause when they saw our witnesses, perhaps they would pause for a different kind of scene.

Carlisle had told me he was unable to track down Fred, and I'll admit I was partially relieved. I didn't want him to get stuck in the middle of all of this, and likely be killed, but I still thought he would be able to help.

Jasper and I were in the forest at the back of the house, watching Bella train with Kate and Garrett getting zapped by her as well, when suddenly we heard a low commotion from the front yard. I heard Carlisle speaking over a babble of surprised voices.

"Do we know you?" He asked someone, his voice unsure, slightly upset. I was confused. Vampires have perfect memory, he should remember if he'd already met this stranger or not.

Jasper darted into the house and most of the others imitated him. I followed more slowly, walking cautiously around the house to enter through the kitchen door, and listening to what I couldn't see.

"I was sent by a golden eye'd female who said Bree needed my help." A low, echoing voice answered Carlisle's question. I froze just inside the kitchen, immediately recognizing that tambre. It couldn't be. Carlisle, couldn't find him. Why would Alice... I was at the front door in less than a second, quite the feat with so many vampires around. The front room was crowded; almost everyone had gone in to see the newest visitor, but I didn't need to see him to know who it was.

Without hesitation, I swung open the door, nearly breaking it off it's hinges in my excitement and gasped. "Fred!"

_IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII_

**Alexei: Told you so.**

** I would like to thank the Twilight Wiki page for providing me with all of that copy/pasted background information. Typing it up would have been a paaaaaiiiin.**

** It's funny. I often get complimented on how I write better that Meyer, but most of this is her work. It's just rearranged and edited in that way I best see fit, and put in a different perspective of course.**

** Anywho. This was a relatively easy chapter to write, simply because it was just a filler with no real action aside from freddy popping up near the end, but the next one will probably take a bit longer to whip up, simply because I have absolutely no idea what I'm gonna do in it X)**

** Well, I have a slight idea, but I just don't know how to go around doing it.**


	16. Chapter 16

** Alexei:** **I wasn't quite sure what I was going to do in this chapter until I read a couple different reviews. This was a brain child of someone asking, "I wonder how Seth and Jasper are going to react?"**

** This is a relatively short chapter. Just wrapping up some looser ends before reaching the climax and wrapping this up.**

_**IIIIIIIIIIII**_

"Fred!"

He was just as I remembered, with his thick, curly blond hair, broad shoulders and muscular built. Thinking about it, he reminded me a bit of Jasper, though their personalities were much different.

Fred was my only friend from my previous life, aside from Diego. Even before I considered him a friend, I always hid by his side from the newborn army's more... aggressive members. He had this powerful ability to repel people. It affected me as well, but I withstood it to get away from the others. This gift of his earned him the nickname "Freaky Fred" amoung the other newborns and made him one of Riley's and Victoria's favorites

After I got... seperated from Diego, I began to hang out with Fred instead of just being around him, and I like to think that he began to think of me as a friend back then as well. Before he left me at the battle field that day, he asked me to go with him. When I refused, saying I wanted to find Diego first, he said he would wait for us. I wondered how long he waited before realizing we weren't coming.

It was a surprise to me that I could even look at him now. Not that I wouldn't want to look at him, but it meant he wasn't repelling anyone right now, or maybe he just wasn't repelling _me_. Carlisle seemed to be keeping his distance, though that may have been because this vampire was a stranger to him. I took a step forward onto off the front porch to go and greet my old friend, relieved to finally see him again, and he repeated the motion in my direction.

"Bree, wha-" His question was cut off as a thundering growl ripped through the air. I was suddenly pulled back onto the wooden porch, locked in place by a pair or iron arms. Iron, _scarred_ arms.

Seth was suddenly pacing in front of me in his wolf form, his position defensive. Another spine tingling snarl ripped through his jaw and he started stalking down Fred, who had now taken up a defensive position as well. He held his ground though, and I wasn't sure if he was really brave, or just stupid. He glanced at me, his eyes wide. Yes, he was afraid, of course he would be. This was his first time seeing a werewolf.

I tried to struggled out of Jasper's arms, but he refused to budge. Reusing an old trick, I stomped on his foot, breaking his bones and Carlisle's porch. His grip loosened but didn't break; however, it was enough room for me to move my arm enough to elbow him. Hard. He let go, but only in shock. I hissed. I was going to have a talk with him later, when I was rational. Right now, though, I was pissed at both him and Seth.

"Seth, what are you _doing?!"_ I yelled at my best friend, running toward him, but not getting to close. I knew how the wolves were. I'd been hanging around here long enough. He couldn't physically reply to my question at the moment, of course. I knew that, but Edward made a good enough translator.

"He think's you're in danger. That this new vampire is a threat to you. Jasper did too."

"Well, he's not!" I growled at the wolf in front of me. "So back down." He didn't move. "Seth," I hissed through my teeth in warning. He still didn't respond to me.

I moved to be between the two, taking up my own defensive position. Seth seemed shocked by this and I briefly wondered if he just hadn't heard me tell him to get out of the way. Fred inched closer to me and Seth's ears flattened. He let out another growl.

"Knock it off," I hissed. "He's not a threat."

He didn't want to back down, I could tell. I almost felt bad enough to go and comfort him. He was trying to protect me and here I am yelling at him. It wasn't long before his ears flattened, this time in submission, and he sulked away. I was going to have to apologize to him later. It yanked my heart to see him like that, and I had to fight my ground to hold back and not follow him.

"Bree?"

I hesitated, turning to the blond. "I'm sorry about that, Fred. Everyone here is a bit tense."

He knodded, acknowledging that. "What's going on? Why didn't-" He stopped himself. I figured he was going to ask why I hadn't gone to find him. "Where's Diego?"

My pursed my lips together and took a breath. Man this was awkward. "Diego..." I had to take another breath. It was hard to think about it, but it was even harder to say it out loud; to have to explain it to someone who knew Diego. "He... Well, he died."

"What? How?" Fred kept his distance from me, and it made me unnerved. Was there something wrong with me. I don't think that I've visibly changed, aside from the new layer of scar where my arm met my shoulder, and even then, my arms were completely covered.

"Victoria killed him."

"Victoria?" I forgot that he didn't know who she was.

"She was our creator." I shrugged, like it wasn't a big deal. It wasn't like she completely ruined our lives or anything. Though, if it wasn't for her, I would probably never have met the Cullens or Jasper. It's our past that decides our future, right?

"Oh," He didn't move, aside from shifting his weight. He looked like he wanted to run at any moment.

"Fred, it's fine really. It's safe here." _For now._ "You should come join us so we can catch up."

"That's alright, I think I'm going to leave." He took a step back and I caught sight of something that made me swallow. Just a tiny bit of rusty orange seeping out into the blue hue that surrounded him. Distrust.

"Fred, what's wrong?" I took another step forward, confused. He matched it with another large step back. If he ran, there would be no way I could catch him. I didn't want him to leave.

"It's your eyes," I heard Edward behind me on the front porch, and it clicked. Of course. We were taught to not trust the yellow-eyed vampires as newborns. It made sense that he wouldn't trust me. My eyes were now the same gold laced amber as the other vegitarians.

"Fred, it doesn't mean what you think it does." I tried to assure him. He didn't seem convinsed. The yellow-eyed ones were decietful, right? I wanted to make him see that we weren't a danger but I didn't know how. I panicked, thinking he was going to leave and never come back. "Just listen, okay?"

He didn't reply, turning on his toes, fear eminating from him.

_Don't_ _be_ _afraid of me._

He took one step, and my panic increased. I felt something in my mind snap, like a glowstick. A cold feeling flooded my body for an infitesimal moment, but the next thing I knew, Fred was flat on the grassy ground. I hadn't even moved from my spot.

"Fred!" I ran to him. Flipping him over and checking if he was all right. He wasn't breathing. Well, of course he wasn't breathing. But he wasn't responding at all. I shook his shoulders, gripping the boulders with my, in comparison, tiny hands. "Are you all right? Fred?!"

"He fine," I looked up at Eleazer. He was the only other vampire to approach us. Even Jasper stayed at his spot on the porch, though is tense brow revealed that he didn't _want_ to stay there. "You just knocked him unconscious."

"I did _what!_?"

_IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII_

Well, at least my gift was useful in some way. Turns out being able to make emotions physically manifest included dropping a vampire to unconsciousness, though I wasn't sure how that made any sense. Jasper said it did, in a weird way. Everything a person did was somehow connected to their emotional current. Maybe I made him get so emotional that he fainted. Like a lady in an old movie... Like Gone With The Wind.

We talked with Fred after he regained his senses nearly an hour later. He listened and agreed to join us. In return, Carlisle taught him the politics of our world. He asked me once how I was able to do what I did to him. I couldn't tell him because even I didn't know, and I hadn't been able to do it since.

I was working with Jasper on being able to repeat the action, but training with him wasn't as helpful as I'd hoped it would be.

Jasper had me pinned in about two seconds, but instead of letting me wrestle my way free -which I absolutely could have- He'd leaped up and away from me. I knew immediately that something was wrong; he was still as stone, staring across the meadow we were practicing in.

"I'm sorry, Bree," He said.

"No, I'm fine," I replied. "Let's go again."

"I can't."

"What do you mean, you can't? We just started."

He didn't answer.

"Look, I'm not Alice. I can't rely on knowing the future to figure out what to avoid in a battle, and I certainly can't hide behind you, defenseless the entire time." His eyes narrowed, but he said nothing. "Jasper, what's wrong? Why do you refuse to teach me?"

A full minute passed before he spoke again.

"I just can't bear it." He sighed, exasperated. His eyes were dark, barely any gold to lighten the black. "Looking at you that way, analyzing you as a target. Seeing all the ways I can kill you..." He flinched. "I just can't do it. Not with you."

I froze. Fear tearing through me. He was right. I wasn't looking at him like that and I didn't think I could. It just made the situation all the more real.

I bowed my head against his chest, sobbing through my clenched teeth. The thought of having to go on without him was too much. I kissed him, conveying my love and my fear.

There was nothing left to do anymore, but wait.

_IIIII_

** Alexei: I apologize for the lack of Freddiness in this chapter, and to reveal that there won't really be much more in the future, but I think you'll like what I do with him :)**

** Also, I honestly haven't seen gone with the wind since I was like, eight. It just seems to be something that pops up from time to time. The running gag and whatnot...**

** FINALLY, I've decided what to do with the final battle scene, and I get the feeling most of you will like it. It sort of appeases everyone, and I hope it WILL cause you to have many feels**


	17. Chapter 17: Side Story

**Alexei: This was something that popped in my head at one time. I quickly wrote it down, not paying attention to details. I might rewrite it with more detail and post it as a oneshot.**

_IIIII_

"Ow!" I grit my teeth against my tongue. It would have bled, had I been human, and as a vampire, if I bit down any harder it would probably just tear off and _then_ I'd be really unhappy.

"You knew this would hurt when you decided you wanted to try it." Jasper rolled his amber eyes at me, continuing to poke the nail of his index finger into my shoulder blade. It was one of the few things strong enough to pierce my skin. The surface of it was coated in a layer of Jasper's venom and caused the skinit tore through to scar almost as soon as his nail broke the surface. It hurt like hell, too. "I can't say this is you brightest idea ever, Bree."

"Hey, cut me some slack, cowboy. I am a teenager, and therefore I am entitled to dumb decisions." I grinned back at him. "Now finish tattooing me."

"Being stuck in the body of a sixteen year old for ten years does not mean you are still a teenager."

I stuck my tongue out, a childish guesture that I had used time and time again my mate. "Well, you aren't the brightest crayon either. you're the one helping me, aren't you?"

"Only because I don't want anyone to hurt you, not to mention you can be very persuasive at times when you want something."

I laughed. "Not even. your helping me because it's _your_ name that will perminentaly marr my body. Admit it. You're marking your territory."

He growled into my neck playfully. "I don't need to do something like this to mark what's mine." He nipped playfully at my skin, licking it. "There are definitely other ways to claim you that come to mind."

"Slow down, cowboy." I stretched my head to the side to give him better access, despite my chastising. "You finish the tattoo and you can mark me however you want."

He chuckled. "Like I need your permission." He pulled back, continuing until His name was etched lightly into my skin in curly, old-fashioned penmanship.

_IIIIIII_

**Alexei: I promise that I'm working on the next real chapter, if only a bit at a time. Unfortunately, I worked every day this glorious spring break, so I didn't have much time to myself. However, it does mean I get more money X-)**


	18. Chapter 18

**Alexei: I apologize for the delay. It's been busy at work with summer and then school trips and some major assignments for my English classed. So, when I have been writing, it's been for school and I was too exhausted to do otherwise.**

** Whoot! The start of the battle scene!**

**I've gotten several requests to make this into a series, and unfortunately it's not very likely to happen. Not that I wouldn't love to write one, I just lack the time in life, and I would like to go back and rewrite some old fics from when I first started out on this site (Some of them are just... they need a lot of touching up) This gives me a nice time where I don't have to think about what I'll be writing.**

** So, I apologize for the lack of a sequel being planned, but I hope you enjoy what's left of this anyway** **and won't let it affect your love for the randomness that is BreeXJasper.**

** Also, on a side note, I find it confusingly entertaining how people will review something like "Please Update" on the first chapter... I'm like, "You haven't even read all of it yet"... Trololol**

_IIIII_

We took our places. I stood a few feet behind the front line which consisted of Carlisle, Edward, Jasper, Emmett, Rosalie, Tanya, Kate, and Eleazar. I would have been near the front, had Jasper not been so worried about me drawing unnecessary attention to myself. Close beside me were Bella and Renesmee, as well as Benjamin, Fred, and Zaphrina. The job assigned to Bella and I was two protect the others. They were our best offensive weapons. If the Volturi were the ones who could not see, even for a few moments, that would change everything.

In the woods behind us, the invisible wolves were still and ready; we could only hear their heavy panting, their beating hearts. I took a calming breath, worrying briefly for Seth.

When they finally came it was in a rigid, formal formation. They moved together, flowing in perfect synchronicity from the trees; a black cloud of cloaks coming toward us. At some sign I did not see, the configuration folded outward. The grey-cloaked figures spread to the flanks while the darker forms surged precisely forward in the center. Their progress was slow but deliberate, with no hurry, no tension, no anxiety. It was the pace of the invincible.

I couldn't help counting. There were thirty-two of them. There were just twenty-one who would fight, and then seven more to watch as we were destroyed. Even counting the ten wolves, they had us, if not just barely.

"The redcoats are coming, the redcoats are coming," Garrett muttered to himself, stepping closer to Kate.

As if their numbers were not enough, while the Volturi slowly advanced, more vampires began entering the clearing behind them. Concern seeped out of them in a light blue mist as they saw the unexpected force awaiting them, but soon it faded out, replaced by a frighteningly bright red.

It was easy enough to see their mindset. This was an angry mob, whipped into frenzy and salivating for justice. I did not fully realize the vampire world's hate for the immortal children until I saw this. When we were dead, they would spread the word that justice had been served. We didn't have a prayer.

Unexpectedly, the procession halted; the Volturi freezing into absolute stillness as one. They stood about a hundred yards away from us.

I listened to the beating of large hearts, closer than before. I risked glances to the left and the right from the corners of my eyes to see what had stopped the Volturi advance.

The wolves had joined us.

And we were still going to lose.

Carlisle squared his shoulders and paced several steps ahead of our defensive line. I hated to see him alone, unprotected.

He spread his arms, holding his palms up as if in greeting. "Aro, my old friend, It's been centuries."

"Fair words, Carlisle," There was no hesitation in his response as he breathed it out in his thin, wispy voice. "They seem out of place, considering the army you've assembled to kill me, and to kill my dear ones."

Carlisle shook his head and stretched his right hand forward as if there were not still almost a hundred yards between them. "You have but to touch my hand to know that was never my intent."

Aro's shrewd eyes narrowed. "But how can your intent possibly matter, dear Carlisle, in the face of what you have done?" He frowned, and a shadow of sadness crossed his features.

"I have not committed the crime you are here to punish me for."

"Then step aside and let us punish those responsible. Truly, Carlisle, nothing would please me more than to preserve your life today."

_Today._ I rolled my eyes. Edward glanced over at me, noting the dark humor in my thoughts.

"No law has been broken, Aro. Let me explain." Again, Carlisle offered his hand.

"We see that child, Carlisle." Caius snarled. "Do not treat us as fools."

"But you are," I snapped before I could think. Their gaze drew to me and I saw recognition in Aro's eyes. He had seen me through Jane, probably. I quickly explained before they could consider burning me at the stake. "You are looking, but you are not seeing. She is _not_ an immortal. She is not a vampire. If you would just look at her, really look at her, you would see that. The beat of her heart; the flush of her cheek."

"You insolent child," Caius growled, taking a step forward. Aro put a hand out in front of him, stopping his advance. "Do you even know who we are?"

"Yes." I swallowed, suddenly unsure of myself. "You enforce the law, but… telling you you're wrong is not breaking it."

A growl slipped from Caius, and I quieted down. I didn't want him to lose his head, because then I might lose mine.

"Be composed, brother," Aro said. "No need to be hasty." With this he turned to us. His voice hardened. "I _will_ have every facet of the truth, and the best way to get that is to have the evidence directly from your talented son." He inclined his head in Edward's direction. "As the child clings to his newborn mate, I'm assuming Edward is involved.

Of course he wanted Edward. Once he could see into Edward's mind, he would know _all_ our thoughts. Except Bella's.

Edward strode across the field, clapping Carlisle on the shoulder as he passed. I heard a low whimper from behind me, Esme's terror breaking through.

Edward's chin went up as he reached Aro, almost arrogantly, and I was momentarily proud. The boy had some sass in him after all. He held his hand out to Aro as if he were conferring a great honor. Aro seemed only delighted with his attitude. He closed the distance without pause. With an untroubled smile, he took Edward's hand. His eyes snapped shut at once, and then his shoulders hunched under the onslaught of information.

I hissed in frustration. Aro knew everything now.

"Easy, Bree." Jasper whispered to me.

It wasn't long before he straightened, his eyes flashing open, their expression awed and wary. He did not release Edward's hand.

"You see?" Edward asked, his voice calm.

"May I meet her?" Aro asked, almost pleaded, in reply. "I never dreamed of the existence of such a thing in all my centuries. What an addition to our histories!"

Two vampires were at Aro's side immediately, looking precisely the same as the last time I had met them. Demetri was hard and lean, like Jasper, and Felix was hulking and menacing like Emmett.

They all stopped in the middle of the field.

Bella and Renesmee approached, along with Emmett and Jasper. I took a deep breath, not liking him so close to the Volturi. They stopped a few yard away and Edward quickly joined them, taking Bella's hand.

Aro leaned his head to one side, fascinated. "I hear her strange heart," he murmured with an almost musical lilt in his words. "I smell her strange scent. May I greet your daughter lovely Bella?" He asked sweetly.

In reply, she walked a few steps forward.

Aro approached them, his face beaming.

"She's quite exquisite," he murmured. "So like you and Edward." And then louder. "Hello Renesmee."

"Hello, Aro," she answered formally in her high, ringing voice.

Aro's eyes were bemused.

"What is it?" Caius hissed from behind. He seemed infuriated by the need to ask.

"Half mortal, half immortal," Aro announced to him and the rest of the guard without turning his enthralled gaze from Renesmee. "Conceived so, and carried by this newborn while she was still human."

"Impossible," Caius scoffed.

"Do you think they've fooled me then brother?" Aro asked with amusement. "Is the heartbeat you hear trickery as well?" Caius scowled. "Calmly and carefully, brother," Aro spoke in a soft voice. "I know well how you love your justice, but there is no justice in acting against this unique little one for her parentage… and there is so much to learn... so much to learn. I know you don't have my enthusiasm for collecting histories but be tolerant with me, brother, as I add a chapter that stuns me with its improbability. We came expecting only justice and the sadness of false friends, but look what we have gained instead... a bright, new knowledge of ourselves, our possibilities."

Lies.

Aro extended his hand out to Renesmee, but Renesmee ignored his gesture and leaned around his hand to place her tiny palm on Aro's cheek.

"Brilliant," Aro responded a second later, appearing elated with what he saw… and it was evident that he was oblivious to Renesmee's tactic.

"Please?" Renesmee said as she retracted her palm, settling back into her mother's arms.

"Of course I have no desire to harm your loved ones, precious Renesmee," Aro responded. I heard Maggie hiss behind me. I was two seconds from ripping Aro away from Jasper and the others and she really wasn't helping.

Aro suddenly snapped his fingers prompting Felix and Demetri to straighten and join him.

"So much to discuss... So much to decide," Aro mumbled. "I must confer with my brothers."

Edward, Bella, and Emmett began to walk backwards but Jasper looked like he wanted to fight. He hesitated, and I took a step forward, needing to be closer to him.

He retreated back to me, however, when Aro called the rest of the Volturi Guard forward to join him instead of going back, reduced the distance between them and us by half.

I stiffened. After another few minutes, the silence of the guard was broken by Caius.

"How can you abide this infamy?" Caius demanded of Aro. "Why do we stand here impotently in the face of such an outrageous crime; covered by such ridiculous deception?"

"Because every word of it is true," Aro answered him.

"I want to talk to the informant," Caius then announced and the attention returned to Irina.

I watched as her, a vampire who I yet to actually meet, hesitantly moved to stand before him and I felt pity. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "I should have made sure of what I was seeing, but I had no idea..."

"Dear Caius, could you expect her to have guessed in an instant something so strange and impossible?" Aro asked, sighing in frustration. "Any of us would have made the same assumption."

I felt a spark of hope when Aro took Irina's side on this but then it evaporated when Caius said; "We all know it was a mistake! I meant to speak of her motivations against the wolves!"

Irina's jaw jerked up and her shoulders squared. I knew right then that she had resigned herself to something. I feared she was about to defy Caius, and she didn't have the distance that I was lucky to have to protect from his wrath.

"No, contrary to what you seem to believe, I have no complaint against the wolves, or the Cullen's. You came here today to destroy an immortal child. No immortal child exists. This was my mistake, and I take full responsibility for it. But as you can all see, the Cullen's are innocent, and you have no reason to still be here." An unnerving feeling settled into my stomach as I watched Irina turn to the Volturi witnesses. "There was no crime. There is no reason for you to continue here."

Irina's words were an indirect slam against the Volturi. It wasn't something even I was willing to say within earshot, and I obviously hadn't had as much experience with them as she had.

Without dramatics, Caius raised his hand and suddenly four Volturi soldiers leaped on top of Irina. I saw nothing but gray cloaks before there was a flash and then an inferno of flames. In stunned silence, we had all just witnessed the Volturi murder Irina.

"Now, she has taken full responsibility," Caius announced.

"Stop them!" Edward cried out suddenly.

"Noooooooooooo," Kate screamed. Before she could move, Garrett had his arms wrapped around her in a vise. He flinched as she zapped him continuously, but his arms remained locked.

"It's too late to help her," Carlisle pleaded with the Denali's. He had Tanya restrained as well. "Don't give him what he wants!"

"Zaphrina!" Edward shouted as their struggles continued.

"Give me my sight back," Tanya demanded.

"Listen to me, Tanya, Kate," Carlisle pleaded with us. "Vengeance doesn't help her now. Irina wouldn't want you to waste your lives this way. Think about what you're doing. If you attack them, we all die."

Tanya began to sob, triggering a similar smoke of sorrow to leak from her as well as Kate.

Aro, seeming uninterested in the Denali's display, suddenly shifted his attention to Bella. "Irina has been punished for bearing false witness against this child," he declared. "Perhaps we should return to the matter at hand," he insisted as he drifted forward with Reneta, Felix, and Demetri in tow. "Just to be thorough, I'd like to speak with a few of your witnesses. Procedure, you know," he added.

I hissed as Aro glided to where Amun and Kebi stood. Not necessarily because I felt close to the two vampire, but because several of the wolves were near then. Seth was near them, which meant Seth was now near Aro. Jasper held out a cautioning hand before I could make the stupid mistake of intervening.

"Ah, Amun, my southern neighbor," Aro greeted the Egyptian. "It has been so long since you've visited me."

"Time means little; I never notice its passing," Amun replied without emotion.

"So true," Aro agreed. "But maybe you had another reason to stay away?"

Amun said nothing. Aro was playing mind games with him and we all knew it.

"It can be terribly time-consuming to organize newcomers into a coven. I know that well! I'm grateful I have others to deal with the tedium. I'm glad your new additions have fit in so well. I would have loved to have been introduced. I'm sure you were meaning to come to see me soon."

"Of course," Amun said, still emotionless.

"Oh well, we're all together now... isn't it lovely?"

Amun nodded.

"But the reason for your presence here is not pleasant, unfortunately. Carlisle called on you to witness?"

"Yes," Amun replied.

"And what did you witness for him?"

"I've observed the child in question. It was evident almost immediately that she was not an immortal child."

"Perhaps we should define our terminology," Aro said, "now that there seems to be new classifications. By immortal child, you mean of course a human child who had been bitten and thus transformed into a vampire." I grit my teeth. What was he up to?

"Yes, that's what I mean."

"What else did you observe about the child?"

"The same things that you surely saw in Edward's mind... that the child is his biologically and that she grows. That she learns..."

"Yes, yes," Aro replied, almost sounding impatient. "But specifically in your few weeks here, what did you see?"

Oh, no. I could see where he was going with this now.

"The child grows... quickly."

"And do you believe that she should be allowed to live?" Aro asked.

I, along with several others, to include the wolves and Volturi witnesses, hissed in protest.

"Hasn't anyone ever told you the rules of a trial, Judge Judy?" I growled. He ignored me, frustrating me further.

Edward placed a hand on Bella's wrist as if to restrain and soothe her.

"I did not come to make judgments," Amun stated. Damn straight he didn't

"Just your opinion," Aro prodded with a chuckle.

" I see no danger in the child. She learns even more swiftly than she grows," Amun answered, and for whatever reason, Aro didn't appear to like this answer, so he turned his back to him.

"Aro?" Amun called to him.

Aro whirled back around. "Yes, friend...?"

"I gave my witness. I have no more business here. My maiden and I would like to take our leave now." Coward.

Aro smiled warmly. "Of course... I'm so glad we were able to chat for a bit. And I'm sure we'll see each other again soon."

Amun touched his mate's arm and the two of them quickly disappeared into the trees. Then Aro, along with his guards, glided along the length of our line to stop in front of Siobhan and the Irish coven.

"Hello, dear Siobhan. You are lovely as ever," Aro greeted her. Siobhan wasn't one for playing games and simply stared back at Aro. "And you...? Would you answer my questions the same way Amun has?"

"I would," Siobhan answered in her thick Irish brogue accent. "But I would perhaps add a little more. Renesmee understands the limitations. She's no danger to humans - she blends in better than we do. She poses no threat of exposure."

"Can you think of none?" Aro asked, and my patience waned.

I stepped forward when I heard Edward growl. Whatever he had heard from inside Aro's head clearly upset him. I could see it in the rusty red seeping from his pores. So, I decided silently, since Aro insisted on pretending he cared about what we witnesses thought, I would take this opportunity to address him directly, because obviously he cared so much.

Jasper and I had discussed the potential advantages and disadvantages of me addressing the Volturi, namely how fast it would get me killed. It was safe to say he was completely against it, but we did both agree that the opportunity likely wouldn't present itself anyway. Now, though, I saw an opportunity and there was no way I wasn't going to take advantage of it.

"I don't think I follow you," Siobhan responded to something Aro had asked her.

"There is no broken law..." Aro began. "However, does it follow then that there is no danger? No, that is a separate issue," Aro said, finishing his thought.

Siobhan responded indifferently to Aro's words, but little Maggie's face was full of hatred.

"She is unique... utterly, impossibly unique. Such a waste it would be to destroy something so lovely. Especially when we could learn so much... but there is danger, danger that cannot simply be ignored."

"You're grasping, Aro," Carlisle pointed out and I was proud of my pseudo father-figure.

"Peace, friend," Aro told him. "Let us not be hasty. Let us look at this from every side."

"May I offer a side to be considered?" I asked, jumping at this chance. I stepped forward, only stopping when Jasper blocked me from going any farther.

"Ah, yes! The young newborn." Aro replied cheerily, but I could see the suspicion in his stare. Good. "I have heard so much about you." Aro continued as he approached me. He held out what seemed to be a nonthreatening hand, but I knew better.

"Don't touch me," I warned and he stopped midstride. "I don't like _anyone_ digging in my head. Ask Edward.

"Hm," Aro breathed. "It seems you've heard of me as well. Very well, what is it you have to say, child?"

"We are all gathered to witness this child, but that is certainly no longer necessary given the circumstances. We all see what she is," I stated. "The question now is, why are you still here? You came, misled, but with a valid excuse for you action. But now that your excuse has been rendered invalid, you seek flimsy convictions to continue. Now, why would you do that?"

"The Volturi come to erase what they perceive as the competition." Garrett suddenly chimed in. Seamlessly taking over and drawing everyone's attention from me. All except for Aro, who continued to watch me. His suspicion had shifted over to a hue of interest and I didn't like it. Jasper put an arm across my front, stepping in between us. He didn't like it either.

"Perhaps, like me," Garrett continued. "You look at this clan's golden eyes and marvel. They are difficult to understand - it's true. But the ancient ones look and see something besides their strange choice. They see power."

"I have witnessed the bonds within this family… and I say family and not coven. These strange golden-eyed ones deny their very nature. But in return have they found something worth even more, perhaps, than the mere gratification of desire?"

He paused, knowing he was reaching everyone.

"I've made a little study of them in my time here and it seems to me that intrinsic to this intense family binding - that which makes them possible at all - is the peaceful character of this life of sacrifice. There is no aggression here like we all saw in the large southern clans that grew and diminished so quickly in their wild feuds. There is no thought for domination... and Aro knows this better than I do."

This brought on another round of restlessness.

"Carlisle assured us all, when he told us what was coming, that he did not call us here to fight. These witnesses," he said, gesturing to Siobhan and Liam, "…agreed to give evidence to slow the Volturi advance with their presence so that Carlisle would get a chance to present his case."

"But some of us wondered," he said as he shot a glance at Eleazar, "…if Carlisle having truth on his side was enough to stop this so-called justice."

Then there was more restlessness.

"Are the Volturi here to protect the safety of our secrecy… or to protect their power? Did they come here to destroy an illegal creation, or a way of life? Could they be satisfied when the danger turned out to be no more than a misunderstanding? Or would they push the issue without the excuse of justice?"

"We have the answer to all these questions. We heard it in Aro's lying words. We have one with a gift of knowing such things for certain and we see it now in Caius's eager smile. Their guard is just a mindless weapon, a tool in their masters' quest for domination."

The restlessness grew in volume.

"So now there are more questions, questions that you must answer. Who rules you, nomads? Do you answer to someone's will beside your own? Are you free to choose your path, or will the Volturi decide how you will live?"

He paused, making sure he had everyone's absolute attention.

"I came to witness… I stay to fight!" he declared, then added. "The Volturi care nothing for the death of the child… they seek the death of our free will. So come, I say! Let's hear no more lying rationalizations. Be honest in your intent as we will be honest in ours. We will defend our freedom. You will or will not attack it. Choose now and let these witnesses see the true issue debated here. You might consider joining us." Garrett coaxed the Volturi witnesses. "If you think the Volturi will let you live to tell this tale, you are mistaken."

Well, that's not where I would have gone with it, but it worked none-the-less.

And of course there was more restlessness. I had driven his point home. "We may all be destroyed... but then again, maybe not. Perhaps we are on more equal footing than they know, or perhaps the Volturi have finally met their match… but I promise you this, though. If we fall, so do you."

Garrett stepped back to rejoin Kate and went into a crouching fighter's position.

"Were you not due for a trial," Aro asked me suddenly, completely ignoring Garrett's outburst and the effect it had.

I glared back at him in response. "The date was set, but then there was a sudden change of plans. Now, however is not the time to dwell on it. Our focus today is the child."

"Let us ask our witnesses of the matter then," Aro announced, keeping his gaze on me. "Let us hear their thoughts before we make our decision," Aro said as he moved towards the witnesses on his side of the field.

"Tell us, friends. What do you think of all this? I can assure you the child is not what we feared. Do we take the risk and let the child live? Do we put our world in jeopardy to preserve their family intact? Or does earnest Garrett have the right of it? Will you join them in a fight against our sudden quest for dominion?"

"Are those our only choices?" Makenna asked. She never liked the spotlight, so it took me by surprise. Then again the maternal instincts could do wonders.

"Of course not, most charming Makenna," Aro tried assuring her. "You may go in peace, of course, as Amun did… even if you disagree with the council's decision."

Makenna glanced at Charles before she began to speak. "We did not come here for a fight. We came here to witness... and our witness is that this condemned family is innocent. Everything that Garrett claimed is the truth."

"Ah," Aro responded, sadly. "I'm sorry you see us in that way, but such is the nature of our work."

"It is not what I see, but what I feel," Charles interrupted and then shifted his gaze to me. "Garrett said they have ways of knowing lies and I, too, know when I am hearing the truth… and when I am not."

"Do not fear us, friend Charles. No doubt the patriot truly believes what he says," Aro said with a chuckle.

"That is our witness," Makenna proclaimed. "We're leaving now."

I then watched Charles and Makenna slowly back up into the woods before disappearing. I had no doubt that they would circle around to join us.

Then I watched with a smile as another witness disappeared… and then three more… and I could see confusion and indecision on several other faces.

Aro then walked over to his Guard to address them, and I could see that Aro wasn't pleased at how things were developing.

"We are outnumbered, dearest ones. We can expect no outside help. Should we leave this question undecided to save ourselves?" he asked.

"No, Master," the Guard replied in unison… which reminded me of the human cults I had run into in upper state New York. It was obvious from their response that Chelsea was pulling their strings and I could see now why Jasper felt she was a high priority target.

"Is the protection of our world worth perhaps the loss of some of our number?" Aro asked.

"Yes," his Guard answered. "We are not afraid."

Aro then turned to Caius and Marcus.

"Brothers, there is much to consider here."

"Let us counsel," Caius replied.

"Let us counsel," Marcus agreed, and a couple more witnesses disappeared into the forest as the ancients began to counsel.

Jasper suddenly left my side, walking at human speed over to Fred to as not to alarm the guard. I didn't know what he was doing, but I trusted it was important. He hadn't really taken a liking to Fred since he's joined us. Edward, Bella and Renesmee hugged and kissed each other, then Bella had Renesmee climb on top of her shoulders before she stepped back to rejoin Zaphrina. Bella smiled at Zaphrina while Zaphrina squeezed her hand to let her know everything was alright.

Garrett took and squeezed Katie's hand before releasing it, and then glanced over at Carlisle, who stood stoically with a proud Esme at his side. I watched where his landed and I could see how proud Carlisle was of his family… and how determined he was with what had to be done. Carlisle was only a pacifist until there was no other choice.

"Chelsea is trying to break our bindings," Edward suddenly announced to us. "But she can't find them and it's confusing her. She's quickly realizing that she can't feel any of us."

I had to refrain myself from shooting Bella a knowing smile. Then Edward turned to Carlisle.

"What's the matter?" Carlisle asked him in alarm.

"Jane just…" he started to say, but then his eyes lit up with even greater shock. "Incredible!" he declared as he glanced around.

"What is?" Carlisle asked impatiently.

Edward couldn't resist giving his mate a smile before answering. "Jane just attacked about twelve of us at the same time but failed to penetrate Bella's shield."

"Didn't Jane get the memo? Her Masters are still in conference!" Rosalie snapped.

"That's normal operating procedure," Edward clarified. "They usually incapacitate those on trial so they can't escape."

"It won't be that easy for them this time," Emmett declared with a grin.

Then Jane suddenly let out a loud piercing scream of rage while her eyes locked on Bella's. I turned to Bella and saw her outright grinning - for our loveable newborn was having fun.

"I told you this was our time," Vladimir declared with a smile.

"Just look at the witch's face," Stefan added.

There were a few beats of silence before…

"Is everyone okay?" Bella suddenly asked in a panicked voice.

"Yes… why?" Edward asked - concerned at how stressed Bella sounded.

"Is Alec trying…?"

"Yes, his gift is slower than Jane's. It creeps. We'll see it in a few seconds."

A few moments later we all saw the strange mist-like substance make its way across the field. It was then that the ground beneath us began to shake and there were large gusts of winds. Despite its mist-like look, I knew it didn't have any ties to an emotion. It looked like poison.

Benjamin was at play, and he didn't stop there as he created a minor earthquake. His recon mission had turned up a fault line.

As the mist crept closer to us, the earthquake cracked the ground between our two forces, which drew the attention of the entire Guard, their witnesses, and all three ancients.

I looked over at Fred, panicked and searching for Jasper. When I didn't see him, my worry increased tenfold. It was only as my gaze brushed over the Volturi guard and I was hit with a wave of nausea that I understood what was going on.

Jasper was tall and lanky, possessed unkempt blonde hair, and he blended in perfectly with the nomads. The few witnesses that might have noticed his arrival probably guessed him to be a late comer or a returning nomad. I noted Jasper's battle scars and felt comforted in knowing that this warrior had never lost a fight.

I then glanced at Jane and saw her smiling, and this confused me until I followed her gaze to Bella. Apparently, Bella still wasn't sure her shield would block Alec. It was obvious that she needed a confidence boost.

The mist suddenly stopped dead when it hit Bella's shield, and then crept upwards, along the barrier, showing everyone just how huge Bella's dome-shaped shield was.

"Well done, Bella!" Benjamin cheered as every vampire and wolf in the field witnessed in awe.

I discreetly turned to Jasper, forcing myself to endure the sickening feeling twisting at my gut, but he no longer held the same position. I spotted him in a different location, still amongst the witnesses, but this time a mere ten yards from the twins.

"Before we vote… Let me remind you whatever the council's decision, there need be no violence here," Aro declared, and these words suddenly concerned me. "It will be a regrettable waste to our kind to lose any of you, but especially you, young Edward, and your newborn mate. The Volturi would be glad to welcome many of you into our ranks. Bella, Benjamin, Zaphrina, Kate, even young Bree. There are many choices before you. Consider them." I hissed under my breath. They didn't need to know of my abilities, and Aro didn't need to spill the beans

I turned to Felix and Demetri and saw them eying Bella. It didn't surprise me that she was their main target, but what did surprise me was that they weren't paying any attention to Zaphrina. Had Aro failed to communicate to them how powerful she was?

"Let us vote then," Aro announced.

"The child is an unknown quantity. There is no reason to allow such a risk to exist. It must be destroyed, along with all who protect it," Caius declared and I marveled at his stupidity. Had Aro really kept Caius in the dark as well? Or was Caius really this ignorant?

"I see no immediate danger. The child is safe enough for now. We can always reevaluate later. Let us leave in peace," Marcus proclaimed and I could see the sincerity in his literally dripping from his mouth. I almost hoped he would survive the battle.

"I must make the deciding vote, it seems," Aro declared with a heavy sigh, and he was still bleeding nervousness.

"Yes!" Edward suddenly shouted, and this drew everyone's attention.

"Aro?" he called out as he stepped forward.

"Yes, Edward? You have something further?" Aro asked, sounding hopeful.

"Perhaps… but first - if you could clarify one point," Edward replied.

"Certainly," Aro responded as his hope grew.

"The danger you foresee from my daughter… it stems entirely from our inability to guess how she will develop?"

"Yes, friend Edward," Aro replied. "If we could but be positive... be sure that, as she grows, she will be able to stay concealed from the human world - not endanger the safety of our obscurity."

"Then as long as we knew exactly what she would become there would be no need for council?"

"Yes, Edward. If there was some way to be absolutely sure, then yes, there would be no question to debate."

"And we would part in peace, good friends once again?" Edward asked.

Sure, friends. Insert metaphorical eye roll here.

"Of course, my young friend… nothing would please me more," he said with a chuckle.

"Then I have a very important witness who will prove beyond a shadow of doubt that Renesmee is not one of a kind," Edward declared.

The field erupted with chatter.

"Edward?" Aro called out with anticipation.

"Alice, would you please join us?" Edward called out to my mate, and there she was… emerging from the woods and darting gracefully across the field to where Edward stood…

I didn't have time to be shocked, because at the very same time, Jasper flashed to Alec, set his teeth on her neck, and ripped his head clear off his shoulders.

The entire field was saturated with shock as Alec's head rolled across the well-worn grass toward Bella.

Then all hell broke loose.

_III_

**Alexei: Everybody always gets so scared when I don't update for a while, and while I completely understand that fear, there is no need to worry. I just have an incredibly busy life and have a hard time finding time to just sit down and write.**

** On a FINAL note (The longer I go without posting, the more of these I feel I have) I would like to thank a reviewer called Aista for restoring my faith in the fanfiction. This reviewer pointed out all the flaws I see all the time when writing these things and I'm relieved to know that it's not just me nitpicking. Most accurate review of this story I have read thus far.**

**I lied. Here's my final note. I've taken a certain reviewers advice and I have the next couple chapters written out and I'm now just going through and editing and/or adding detail, so hopefully I can and will wrap this story up soon. Happy summer, guys.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Alexei: I was half tempted to split that last chapter into two, but I just couldn't… It didn't seem right after so long. Anywho, I went back and re-uploaded some of the only chapters after fixing the horrible format they ended up in due to my typing them up and uploading from my phone, so hopefully that's a bit better.**

**This is a rather short chapter, mainly due to the fact that I suck at writing fighting scenes and I wanted to get it over with.**

/

Even before Alec's headless body dropped to the snow covered ground, Jasper turned his attention to the boy's witch twin, in her shock he was able to tear off one of her arms before he was knocked to the ground by a nameless guard.

I was fighting to get to him immediately. Something was wrong. He didn't look right. I dodged one attack after another, and within seconds I saw that I wasn't alone in my effort.

The nomads had all joined me, likely due to Garrett's wonderful speech. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Vladimir and Stefan take down Alec.

Emmett leaped down beside me and I almost tore off his leg, thinking he was another attacker.

"Emmett!" I hissed at him. We immediately positioned ourselves back-to-back and proceeded to kick ass. I saw the actions of the others around me out of the corner of my eyes and was pleased to find Peter and Charlotte take on a similar stance to attack with.

We pounded one attacker after another, and though it wasn't as in sync as when Jasper and I sparred, it was still pretty damn good. I was pleased to see that several other witnesses, both from our side and the Volturi's, had joined our cause and were fighting the guard all around me, but I still needed to get to Jasper. I had a horrible feeling twisting as my gut that began as soon as the field began to fill with a purplish smoke-like vapor.

"It's just like old times, hey Jasper?" Peter called out, and I looked toward his voice.

"Except this time we're fighting for the right reason," The blond replied as he tore off another cloaked head. I quickly slipped away from Emmett to get closer to him. It seemed like ordinary fighting, but something looked wrong. Something WAS wrong. I just didn't know what yet.

I caught sight of a severed head in Vladimir's hand, but no sooner had he tossed it; he and Stefan were buried underneath an avalanche of dark cloaks. I almost went to help them, but they handled it pretty well, breaking free in a flurry of jumps and kicks

I wanted to break free of my skirmish and get to Jasper, but the Volturi numbers were beginning to overwhelm us. Suddenly, someone grabbed me from behind and I was sure I was over with, but then a moment later my attacker and I were knocked hard to the ground by a sandy colored wolf, allowing me to break loose, and turn the tide on my attacker.

"Seth!" I shouted and he barked once in acknowledgement before returning his attention to the female who had just moments before been on my back.

Felix and Demetri, followed by several Volturi Guard, sprang and attacked us, but they were immediately intercepted by Edward, Randall, Rosalie, Alice, Kachiri and Senn. The few that had managed to escape had their hands and arms torn off by Jacob and his pack.

Edward was fast as lightning – much faster than anyone out there, aside from maybe me - and from the looks of it, he was winning his fight against Demetri. It was almost funny. I never realized just how incredible a fighter Edward was, because I had never witnessed him fight before.

Rosalie and Alice worked incredible together as they decimating one Volturi Guard after another. I could see now that the two sisters were able to hold their own.

It wasn't until a large group of vampires attacked then at once that the balance of power was tipped. Even if she had seen it coming, Alice and Rosalie were so tiny compared to all of them. They didn't stand a chance. Throwing Rosalie aside, two guard members grabbed Alice then dragged her away.

"Let her go," Carlisle yelled from across the field, running toward them. He was met by several of the guard members who attacked Rose, but he brushed them aside easily enough. He jumped at the ones who had Alice but was met midair by a surprisingly fast Aro. I blinked. His body fell to the ground, limp, and I stared at Aro, who stood slowly and calmly despite the chaos surrounding him. His eyes met mine in a simple, happy expression that a child might show after a good bedtime story, and it was like that happy story led to a nightmare as slowly he brought up Carlisle's severed head.

A scream to my right distracted me from the scene. Esme stood, hands over her mouth, sobbing in shock. The entire battle froze for a moment as everyone stared at the Volturi leader. The only ones who didn't seem shocked were Marcus and Caius. Aro smiled a friendly smile back at everyone.

Caius was at his side instantaneously. Using a torch he had gotten from god-knows-where, he lowered it and used Carlisle's body to create the first pyre of the day.

It was silent, and then everyone converged. The battle had begun with new vigor.

Then there was Jasper. He was still fighting guard member after guard member, and I'll admit he was kicking some serious tail, but for some reason I knew he wasn't safe. I had to get to him, and I didn't even know why.

As I inched forward, hindered by several attacks on my part, I started to feel worse and worse.

There was something surrounding him that wasn't tangible, but wasn't an aura either.

Bella's shield.

I sighed in relief, glancing at Bella who stood stock still, covering Jasper.

But she was gone in an instant, stuck in a tussle with a cloaked vampire.

I turned back to Jasper, taking to steps in an attempt to once again get closer to him.

Suddenly I was grabbed from behind, a hulking arm wrapping in a vise around my neck. I gasped. I hadn't been paying attention. I had been too focused on Jasper and I didn't see anyone sneaking up on me.

The arm tightened and I clawed at my neck.

Dying at that moment wasn't what terrified me most though.

No, what scared me was ten times worse.

Jane stood, much like Bella had, off to the side staring at my mate in concentration, and I suddenly understood why Bella had him covered before.

The area around Jane suddenly flashed a sickly purple, and the young twin gave no expression as her brothers killer suddenly fell to the ground, gasping in agony. He was in so much pain he couldn't even yell.

I tried to yell out his name, but I couldn't get it out either, though for a much different reason.

I struggled against my captor, using several tricks I had tried on Jasper.

Jane got closer and closer, reaching out and putting one hand on Jasper's forehead and the other on his jaw. She smiled with child-like glee and started twisting.

"Noooooooooo!" Suddenly everyone around me, dropped and the field was silent.

/

**Alexei: Alright, guys! There's only one more official chapter after this, and it's not an especially long one. I hope you like plot twists **


	20. Chapter 20: Short but Epic Finale!

**Alexei: WELCOME TO MY SHORT YET EPIC FINALE! I'm saying that because I don't actually feel that way. I'll admit it. I'm feeling a bit like M. Night Shalamala with how this went(Yes, I spelled it that way on purpose.) I am definitely going to add an epilogue, but guys… this is the last official chapter. As in, I'm marking this fic as completed after I post it. Sniff… It's been real…**

**Though, I hate that I can never seem to write a strong ending and have to resort to shock factor…**

/

"I'm sure you can tell how it all ends after that, Aro." The room was, dark. Not well lit by the medieval torches that were sporadically placed throughout its spacious area. Dark, cloaked vampires filled the area to view their tiny, peculiar guest. "Even seeing what I have chosen to show you will not change the outcome. If anything, it will only increase the likelihood of your demise. If you attack, you _will _die."

"And you left your coven without telling anyone to show me this?"

"As soon as I saw it, I knew I had to get here before Irena. I knew that if you had seen her mind, you would never have listened to me."

Aro nodded his head knowingly. He had no doubt the girl was speaking the truth, it was without a doubt the truth, and he was deep in thought about the situation. "So the child then, she's-"

"Half human? Yes."

Aro chuckled. "I was speaking of Jasper's young mate, dear Alice." The golden-eyed vampire cringed at his phrasing. "She seemed rather powerful in your vision, even in her undeveloped state. I'm quite glad that my dear Cullen's convinced Jane to spare her after all. And my dear Bella…" He paused, joy flooding his expression. "Carlisle certainly has a gift for collecting talented companions, maybe Carlisle has a gift himself."

"Carlisle is very compassionate. He brings out the best in others. Though, obviously some just don't want the help." Alice's comment was very pointed. "The Cullen's are a strong, _talented,_ family. We have weapons and we have defenses, and the only reason I've come to warn you is because I've seen the destruction that would happen if the Volturi _weren't_ around.

"Yes, unfortunately, Bella hasn't quite developed her shield, and darling Bree has no idea of her capabilities. As you've so clearly stated, your vision has yet to have actually happened. There are still so many things that could be prevented."

"Aro, I already told you-"

"Oh, dear Alice. You have no need to worry. I do not plan to attack. There's too much at stake here. And so much can happen that might change the course of things by then. for instance, what's to stop you from joining my guard?"

"I would never-"

"Oh, I don't know about that. What do you think, Chelsea?"

/

**Alexei: I was torn between this ending and one where the entire story was what Alice saw in her vision in the second chapter… Of course, then I would have had here kill Bree and prevent the whole story from ever happening… That'd be pretty BA. Maybe I'll write an alternate ending about that…**

**THOUGH THE STORY IS TECHNICALLY COMPLETE, LOOK OUT FOR THE EPILOGUE!**


	21. Epilogue

**Alexei: I actually wrote **_**this**_** before I started **_**The Second Life of Bree Tanner **_**as a drabble type piece****, and it was kind of the inspiration for the whole thing. :) I changed it up a little bit after how I ended chapter 20 to keep with the theme of things, but other than that, this story is at it's original glory.**

_III_

The snow blanketed the ground thickly that particular year, unusually dry for the wet peninsula. Flakes slid to the forest floor, nimbly avoiding the branches of the densely packed trees, and wildlife was minimal due to the mid-January temperature.

Two pairs of footprints trailed through the iced liquid, each step nearly twenty feet from the one before. One pair showed the large indent of a heeled boot, while the other was smaller; bare feet that padded along at a slightly slower pace. Both pairs weaved through each other, like the owners were playing a child-like game of tag.

Far ahead of the discernible trail of feet, two people stood in an open field. The first was a tall, lean man with blond hair cascading in waves down to the top of his broad shoulders. He seemed underdressed for the frozen weather, wearing only jeans and a thin button down shirt. His cowboy boots crunched underneath him as he shifted his weight. The second was a petite young girl, looking no older than sixteen years of age. Her dark hair was tied back in a long ponytail, and she looked more prepared for the weather in her knit hat and large sweatshirt; however, her bare legs and shoeless feet poked out from her fitted shorts, the icy wind not affecting her comfortable stance.

"Are you sure you're okay? We can wait another year-"

"No, it's been long enough. I want to say goodbye."

They stood outside a large, run down log cabin. It still looked like an oversized gingerbread house, though now it was a rather run down one. Painted a now faded pink, green and white, it was elaborate to the point of ridiculousness, with fancy trim and finials on every conceivable edge. It was the kind of thing that would make one chuckle in a normal situation.

The girl padded her way up to the broken front door and stopped there. She sighed. There was no way she'd be able to go inside without breaking.

She bent down, kneeling on the tips of her toes and placing a small, white flower of the overzealous welcome mat. Tears built up in her eyes as she spoke quietly.

"Hi there. I know it's been a long time, but I'd like to think that you'll forgive me for being late. I also… I'm so sorry about what happened, but…" A tear ran down her cheek, burning with venom. "I don't know if it would have been better had it been different. I'm sorry. I'm sorry about your human life. I'm sorry that you had to be born into a vampire life. I'm sorry that I couldn't protect you. I'm sorry that I fell in love with someone else after you. I'm sorry that you had to die, and I'm so sorry-" her breath hitched for a moment as more tears flowed. "I'm so sorry that I'm okay with that."

Suddenly, a crunching sound broke the girl from her mourning. She stood, spinning around to find another had joined her and her mate in the cold snow.

A black cloak shifted in the breeze as her breath stuck in her throat, and her male companion crouched in front of her protectively.

"Alice?"

"Jasper, Bree, It's been a while. I have a proposition for you."

/

**Alexei: Oh crap, I just set that up for a sequel didn't I?**


	22. Sequel Announcement

**Alexei: Hey guys! So, reguardibg this whole 'sequel' thing, I did decide that a sequel would be interesting and it would be fun to do a more original plot line, however I do not plan to work on it until I finish this next project that I've started (Naruto fic. SasuHina. Shared Secrets rewrite) and as most of you have figured out I take a lot of time on these, so while, yesAsia sequel would be fun to plan out and maybe do, the likelihood of it happening soon is next to none.**

**sorry if your disappointed :(**


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